Bonds of Hatred, Ties of Love
by DesertPenguin
Summary: It was a sickness like none other that infected this world, chronic, persistent and frequently miscalled war rather than mindless slaughter. Hundreds of years had not brough a cure and it could be hundreds of more till a speck of hope shone. Regardless, if war was the fate of this world, then its inhabitants would just have to live through it. Warring State Period (MadaraOC)
1. Chapter 1

Thanks to _wildcrazythings_ for editing this chapter for me.

 **I don't own anything.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

* * *

A quiet convoy moved at a speed that was too slow for most, yet still too fast for those such as the mothers that carried weary children or the elderly that struggled with each step. Mostly though for the injured, that chose not the die on the battlefield or submit to their conquerors, were the ones that battled at the rear.

Many hundreds journeyed together. Mostly strangers to her that she had never laid eyes upon in her life, but now seemed as if they were her closest companions in this strange solitude that she found within the convoy.

It only took four days before she began to notice that the faces had become familiar. Then, just as soon as they became familiar, they gradually vanished.

Whether they had decided that this convoy would achieve nothing for them and turned off at one of the many crossroads that they had so far passed, or lied down to let misery and exposure claim them. She could not say.

They just left.

She felt the loss, but before that she could feel the doubt lingering heavily in her mind.

Idly, she would wonder when her time would come. Would the next cross road lead down the path of her salvation? Or would the chill of the night air and biting cold claim her resolve?

Overwhelming apathy kept such inclinations at bay. A new path would likely only lead to another battle. Death would only lead to her passing into another life. The thought of being born into the current era was enough for her to want to remain alive till this one ended.

If it ended.

By the sixth day she felt the blister on her foot burst. It was the large one that encompassed her entire left heel. The smaller ones she could manage, the sting if anything was a reminded that she still lived and could continue to do so.

Wincing with the pain, she struggled to put any weight at all on it. She slowly began to fall towards the back of the convoy. Frustration at the pace led to tears running down her dirt caked face. She knew that blood cemented the majority of the dirt to her face.

The back of the convoy was a world that she wanted no part of. The thought alone was enough to bring visible shame to her face, but she looked away. Those that fled had only been permitted to, as none were deemed useful or threatening to the new owners of their old home.

That thought alone stopped her from helping anyone. She glanced up at the rocky peaks that shadowed over them, knowing that they were still being watched and would continue to be watched till they passed well beyond the borders.

It would not be long before they passed the uncertain boundary of their territory, escaped from the high peaks of her home, down to the desert tundra of the neighbouring land. From there, a long walk would ensure till they would find rocky canyons, then the great forests of the central lands.

Refugees.

It was strange applying that title onto herself. She had a whole range of single words that could describe her, but refugee was a new one.

She heard it so much. How could you not when Clans raged war against each other for a Dominion on an almost daily basis? For that word to now suddenly define her existence… it left her numb. Well, not entirely numb, she still hobbled with the blisters, her increasingly stiff body bruised badly and she was convinced that she had fractured, or even broke, one of her ribs on her last fall.

Physical pain and mental numbness would be a better description. Her emotional state was not something anyone would want insight to.

Healing herself was out of the question while she remained within the mountains. Once out, rested and fed, she might be able of traverse the windy tundra in only a few days. But should she?

The convoy had no real destination asides from leaving these lands. Most would choose to remain on the border, not wanting to risk the tremulous lands of blinding white for as far as you could see.

Her masters words echoed in her mind as a quiet mantra. South till the earth dried out, then east till an endless forests and a fiery sun. Till a better option presented itself to her, she would follow those instructions.

The air became easier to breathe as they descended from the mountains, and for but a moment the exhaustion seemed that little less unbearable as she inhaled rich air. Having grown so used to the thin air of the high altitudes, this new enriched air was liberating.

The steep downhill climb left her knees aching and her hands scratched horribly after all the times she had to catch herself falling.

Eventually she fell. That was on the eight day, she leant against a dead tree in exhaustion and looked at her inflamed swollen feet. The urge to remove her shoes was overwhelming, but she knew the moment that she did, putting them back on would be that much harder.

She slept the entire night for the first time in the whole week that she had matched with the other refugees.

When she woke, she did so lethargically, head dizzy from almost too much sleep. The thought was laughable as she felt as if she had not rested at all. The early sunlight only blessed her with the faintest amount of vision, but enough to ready herself to continue on.

She laughed after a few minutes of searching, because if she hadn't, she would be crying into her dry frail hands.

Her coat, bag, clothes, water and food. Stolen.

She carried on for no other reason that if she didn't, she would have die at the base of that dead tree. And if there was one things she had already decided, was that she did not want to be reborn into this world. This era.

This madness.

So she might as well live through it.

* * *

Removing the coat off a dead man was something that she knew was essential to her own survival, but a memory that she much rather forget.

All he had that would keep her warm was a scarf and coat, and the dropping temperatures had forced her to not care that the scarf carried the smell of sickness. Or that the long coat was speckled with blood. There was also the high probability that it wasn't even his blood, or his coat to begin with.

It was warm.

For now, she needed that to survive this icy tundra. That man had been frozen, which did not bode well for her, but he also had food and frozen water. She ate the food greedily as it had been a two days since she last had anything but the last drop of water. If she had been thinking straight she would have known to ration it, to keep her going, but in her desperation she just ate.

The food warmed her almost from the inside. She felt the surge of power through her that she could not last remember. It brought a weary smile to her face, her lips cracked with the strain but she did not care.

Against all her better judgement she would shove heaps of snow into her mouth, chilling her from the inside so that she may have some water to lessen the heavy thumps of pain that would not leave her head from the dehydration. This along with the endless licking of her lips left her lips pained and riddled with splits.

That was on her second day within the Land of Ice. By the third her left toes showed signs of frostbite, as well as the tips of her fingers. With no gloves she was forced to rip up her scarf to wrap around her fingers and feet for the extra warmth. This left her face and nose chillingly exposed, and only tucking her face into her coat aided her.

Before the end of the fifth she managed to escape the tundra onto much warmer climate that burned less.

As her masters words echoed once again into her ears, she knew with certainty. She was going to survive.

* * *

When she reached the rocky canyons she almost died with delight at discovering a fresh spring. Plunging her face into the reflection of the sky she let water flood into her mouth, drinking greedily.

Within seconds she had stripped down to nothing and torn up strips from her travelling cloak to clean her body.

A few hours of further wandering, she found a natural hot pool. Not wanting to risk being in the hot water for fear that she may faint she did not enter it, but everything felt warm as she dipped her feet and hands into the naturally heated water, and she smiled giddy with joy. The first one in days, and kept telling herself in her head that she never wanted to experience the cold again.

The tips of two fingers and one toe retained an unhealthy dark tint from the residue of her frostbite.

That was enough motivation to continue moving south. To warmer lands, to brighter suns.

She slept that night near the hot pools where the smell was unbearable, but the heat welcoming.

Waking in the morning was a blessing, for there was not a single night in which she was ever fully certain that death did not smile down on her in her sleep.

The large Canyon Country seemed to go on forever. But so did the tundra. Which didn't stop her, so neither would this. A new-found strength resided in her at the knowledge that she had survived that, this endless rocky canyon was only the next step. The next obstacle that she would pass through.

She met a traveller on the road. It was a strange exchange that involved no words, just a nod and smile, before she saw the blistering rash that climbed from beneath his shirt, up his neck and across his face.

She stopped him and began to heal it without any questions, when the rash faded she told of her abilities, and he thanked her graciously with food and water. But that was all he could spare, as the peddler still had a long journey.

Graciously accepting it, she knew that it would not come even close to compensating for the energy that she had expelled in aiding him. She was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

She ate well for the next two days, relatively well compared to how she had been eating till that point. This time around she was smart enough to restrain her hunger and ration it out. If there was one thing she was grateful for was the new holder for water, as such she drank much water constantly if only to put off the pangs of hunger. The day after she had finished the last shred of food the peddler had offered her for her serviced was gone, she went back to starving again.

It was not as bad as when she was crossing the tundra, at least this time there was life. Plants, although few and far between, sustained her when things began to become severely bad.

Starving was not fun. Neither was being a refugee.

But she was surviving.

* * *

The beehive was high in the tree. Not so high that she could not get up there without raising the awareness of the bees, but high enough that she would have to think wisely for a strategy so that she was not stung to death by the soon-to-be angry horde.

Picking up a stone from the ground, she flung it at the hive, making a solid impact that sent the hive crashing down onto the ground and a flurry of bees rushing out and searching for the threat. She dived for the hive and picked it up before dashing towards the river.

It was fifty paces before she reached it.

Jumping in a panic, she dived under the water with the hive in her arms. Swimming upstream from where she had jumped in, she surfaced once she was a good few meters away. Surfacing, she saw that the swarm of bees where flying around randomly and seemed to be paying no attention to her now. Pulling herself out of the river and only to bank she made through into the tree line and out of sight from bee and hopefully person.

A lack of familiarity with the plant life in this region mean that she would have to be using very old tradition for preventing infection in all the gashes and grazes that she had gotten through her journey through the woods.

And she had only been stung eight times.

As she broke away at the hive revealing the honey and wax inside, she lathered it over her lips and the open wounds that dotted her knees, legs, arms, feet and face. Healing herself would have been the easiest of choices, but with only shreds of energy and her starving body. This was the best she could do for herself. Whatever was left she ate. Not much, the sweet sticky food was not what she wanted to be eating when she was so starved, but the sugars would do her well.

Laying back against a tree sighing out loudly for the world to hear. The sun beamed down on her through the foliage and, for the first time since leaving her home, she felt warmth.

* * *

Slept must have kept its hold over her for the entire day and most of the night, as when she woke the honey was crusted horribly and she felt sticky all over. The ants crawling over her body made her awakening that much more unpleasant.

Washing herself slowly, the night chilled river doing little to put her off, she looked up at the full moon that beamed down on her. The honey all washed away after some time and she rose from the river naked. Looking down at protruding ribs and prominent hip bones she frowned in disappointment.

Her fingers appeared wiry and she must have looked at least twice her age.

Dressing slowly she ignored the cramping sensation in her ribs and joints. Her energy had been restored somewhat with a good amount of sleep. However, with the severe lack of nourishment that she had been enduring, she was not likely to recover any further.

She began walking again before it got light, wandered slowly through the forest, her stomach constantly reminding her of her endless hunger. When she found a bush that held a number of red berries she sat down and ate all the berries off the bush that did not look sodden. A sickness came over her some time past the darkest part of the night and she ended up vomiting the small content of her stomach out onto the forest floor.

Slumping against a tree, panting, she quickly dozed off. Drained from only a few hours of walking and the energy it took to empty her stomach.

Waking to the sound of birds and forest moments. While her body protested, she managed to pull herself back onto her feet with the aid of the tree she had been leaning against.

Stumbling slowly through the forest, she was cautious with the mount of noise that she made. Yet in the pitch darkness, with only the moon occasionally gifting her with a hints of light through the thick foliage, it was hard and more often than not she broke branches and trod on fallen leaves.

At some point she miserably concluded to herself that a herd of stampeding cattle would have likely been stealthier than she was at that moment.

A loud crack resonated from behind her.

Panting in the distance that was rapidly approaching her.

Something seized hold of her and she could not move. Ah, she remembered this. Fear.

Eyes widened in panic as she scanned the surrounding forest for any indication of where the attack might come from. Eyes too tired, too unfocused she felt as if she was looking down a long pipe till flaring pain ripped at her stomach and she looked down to see a medium sized dog had bit her.

The impact felt delayed, but that was likely on her mind playing tricks on her, and she was pulled to the ground and the dog tore at her as it violently shook its head. A scream was ripped from her and it responded loudly through the woods.

Arms spread wide she reached for anything that might help. One hand slapping aimlessly along the forest floor while the other grabbed hold of the scuff off the dogs neck.

The dogs reaction to this was instantly and it released her side to then snapped down on her forearm with a growl and repeated the same wild tearing at her skin. This time it felt as if it might rip her arm right off her. The material of her shirt tore and tears ran down her face as she silently cried.

A hard smack to the ground found her a rock that she grabbed tightly before swinging her hand right down on the dog's skull. A strength that she had never known flared through her arms as she crashed the rock down.

The impact resonated with a solid thump and the dog went silent. But it was not enough.

Her hand came down again, and again. Again.

The crunch of bone was not enough for her to stop.

Or the splat of blood and likely brain.

Its hold on her arm went slack and she could suddenly feel pooling wetness reach the hand still holding the rock. A staggered breath as she pried the dogs jaw open and collapsed onto the ground crying.

An hour could have passed and she would have been none the wiser as she lay there, her mind focusing intently on the pain that left her shuddering and weak.

Dragging herself across the ground towards a large oak, she leant up against it and assessed the damage to her body. Undoing the thin worn sash around her hip, she opened up her top, exposing her fragile torso to the air. With trembling finger she felt around the afflicted area. Warm blood was oozing its way out of her body quickly.

In panic at the feeling of so much blood she shut the robe, as if to hide it from herself. Her teeth gritted together tighter as she heaved herself up a little more against the tree. Breathing was becoming labored and she knew that she was on the verge of a possible self-induced panic attack.

Breathe.

That one word flared in her mind and she knew she needed to use it. Breathe.

In. A large gulp of air that had her lungs filling painfully to the brim. Out. All if then left. In. She took on all the air she could. Out. In. Out. In.

A minute in and her head had calmed, a minute after that and she was back to her fragile mind. Her hand returned to the wound and laid flat over it.

Cool and sharp. She felt it against her neck, and the air that she had been so conscious about only minutes ago left her. This time in a slow and controlled manner. She could not risk panicking.

"Woman. Who are you? What is your purpose on these lands?"

Had she the energy, she might have jumped at the sudden intrusion on her personal space. As well as having a sharp looking knife held up against her jugular. In the darkness of the trees with only faint moonlight seeping through she could make out dark featured and the sharp angles of a face.

She tried to speak, but the it had been days since she had last done so and she wasn't too sure if she could. Her voice cracked with the disuse and sounded unfamiliar to her ears as she responded with. "Just. Passing."

The blood loss had become a problem as she swore that she was looking at the eyes of a demon. Her head felt heavy and cold was rushing through her. The fingers of the hand placed over the abdominal wound twitched. Chakra flamed through her fingers in a greenish tint. As it seeped through her clothing and skin she felt the blood begin to ease from gushing out of her.

"You're a healer." He stated, sounding surprised at his own statement. In the darkness, she could not confirm if this surprise reflected on the rest of him. "Aren't you?" It must have, if he felt the need to actually confirm with her.

Her technique eased off as she examined the now slightly sealed wound. It did not feel as if she had made any progress in accelerating the healing, and as she looked down she could still vaguely see the oozing blood.

"What does it matter now?" She hadn't even asked it as a question, the words just slipped out of her mouth. Her head rested against the tree as exhaustion really set in. She should not have done that, using up the small amount of chakra that she had been building up for days now. Entirely drained, even holding up her own head was too much.

"It could mean a lot for you." He responded. Words sounding distant. "Could be the difference between you living or dying, right here." The pressure of his blade eased up on her neck, and another was removed entirely. Which she only just noticed that was aimed to go right under her rib cage. Pointed at her heart.

She laughed dryly that came out as a dry cough. "I've been dying for weeks." A minor exaggeration, but that's how it felt. The drawn out endless challenge she faced day after day. Water. Food. Warmth. Shelter. Water. Food. Warmth. Shelter. Water. Foo… over and over and over again till she felt that her whole life was aimlessly living for the sake of not dying.

"Yeah. Medic. I'm one of them." She responded. Not caring any more. The fine line between living and not seemed to vanish in an instant after having the first human contact in weeks. What she was doing was not living. It was surviving. For a time it seemed important.

Now?

She couldn't say.

* * *

Short start to what should kick of as a long fic.

Okay so I had planned to have nearly the whole fic finished before I started posting. But I said this before my final uni year began and I hadn't quite expected the workload that was waiting for me.

So for now I have just about half of the fic done. But I have kept this on hold for too long now so I am now going to start posting the chapters till the midway point when I'll take a break to finish off the second half. The second half at the moment is just a mix of uncompleted segments that need to be brought together to make whole chapters. It's so time consuming but I promise to finish the fic. Best chance is in the summer I'll have loads of time to finish it then.


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks to _wildcrazythings_ for editing this chapter for me.

 **I don't own anything.**

* * *

 **Chapter 2**

* * *

The man had enough courtesy to allow her a few moments to compose herself and gather her bearings before he helped her hauled herself to her feet.

Her knees almost buckled beneath her and she barely managed to catch herself by grasping his arm. He seemed uncomfortable with the contact from the stiffening of his arm, likely still considering her an enemy or at least someone to be cautious of. She let go once she had the strength to do so.

He led her to what seemed like an outpost. There she could make out in the dark the figures of three more men. The three of them seemed to be holed up in some dug out pit that had a wooden support to stop it from collapsing in on itself. Two were asleep and the other on the edge of the lookout. On their arrival, the sleeping two where woken up with a swift kick from the third.

None said anything at the appearance of her captive, but focus was directed toward her. Although she was uncertain if she should refer to him as her captive, as she made no attempts to leave his company, yet at the same time exhaustion and starvation left her with no inclination towards anything else.

Uncertainty remained regarding their small exchange earlier. A part of her felt that she may have agreed to something she would later regret, another was naively hoping that he was some good Samaritan.

Every now and then her head would spin and she fell, and one particular moment left her head spinning too fast that she fell momentarily out of consciousness. If he had not been so near to catch her, she could really have fallen right into the pit and likely broken something.

Seeing that she was clearly unable to hold herself up, she was set her down and given bread and water. Quick apologies where offered that he could share no more. She ate greedily and offered no regards as she fell into a deep sleep only seconds later.

Which only lasted for what felt like minutes, but when he woke her she could see faint light in the sky. It was almost too bright for her and her eyes blurred, unable to focus clearly on anything for any length of time.

A face was close up to hers, well into invading her personal space but again there was no energy to respond. He had a rugged older appearance and a scruffy beard, Inare felt the hints of discomfort creep up on her.

He appeared to be talking to her, but it took some time before she understood that he was telling her they were moving. Another group of four had arrived at some point. Likely relieving the current group.

There was a new tightness that made moving difficult, and now supporting herself on one arm was near impossible. When the sun was higher in the sky, she saw that they had bandaged her unhealed stomach as well as the arm that was still likely badly torn from the dog mauling it apart. It should have should have discomforted her that knowledge but the memory of the dog attack left her legs trembling, she had to paused for a second and gather herself before continuing.

This unit of four moved in a staggered file. Her being the only one out of place as she staggered besides her captive with him keeping an arm on her the whole way. They walked for some hours before she felt as if she might collapse if they didn't stop. She told him, but he said that they were near.

They weren't, as they walked on for what could have been another hour till she really did and he had to forcedly drag her to her feet but she had already passed out of consciousness again.

When she woke for the second time that day, she was given food. This time a three strips of dried fish and she wolfed down and drank the remaining water that was offered to her.

He made joke about starving, but she didn't really find it funny and bluntly told him so. He picked her up this time so that she didn't have to walk, the movements lulled her into a more relaxed stance and she nearly drifted into darkness again. For the ease it provided on her own body, she let him carry her for what was obviously the remained of the walk.

Against all better judgement she left herself dozing lightly against his shoulder. Eyes hard to keep open.

It was an encampment that they arrived at in the late afternoon. By the looks of it, only a temporary one at that. Black and red tents where set up around, with what appeared to be, an unnatural rock formation providing protection to the rear of the tents.

She was used to this form defence and had seen it a lot back in her lands. Earth style jutsu would typically be used to provide rear protection to areas for sleeping, mostly to provide protection in case any long ranged attacks, or any form of attacks, occurred.

She knew again from her own experience that stag positions would be set up around the encampment, and one with this large triangle formation would probably contain at least a minimum of six, especially given the density of the forest.

While she may have gathered a decent amount of knowledge on shinobi camps over the years, it had always been from a distance. A nice, comfortable distance that meant she'd have minimal contact with the shinobi.

A little more aware as they approached the encampment, she realised that these men had likely taken a very long detour to put her off the tracks of their base. She stored the knowledge that these where highly cautious fighters away in the back of her mind.

For now it would serve her nothing than to know that she would have to carefully think over her coming actions and decision.

Before they entered, she asked him to put her down to which her unnamed captor did graciously. Placing her on the ground carefully and steadying her when she looked like she might fall. This time she rejected his aid and carefully re-established her equilibrium with the earth alone.

In the early afternoon, young children dashed around passing messages; while others, mostly older, were training hand-to-hand combat. They seemed to be in their routines. Eating, washing, cleaning and sharpening weapons as well as getting a little rest somewhere in between.

From the tense atmosphere that hung around, she knew that they were preparing for an upcoming battle. It could be days or hours till it happened.

Apprehension took hold of her at that moment as she realised that once again, although unsurprisingly, she had walked right in the middle of a clan war. Although this time she seemed to be on the offensive side rather than the civilian one. Which would undoubtedly not bode well on her part.

The man escorting her urged her forwards through the encampment.

Somewhere in the middle he informed the group she had suspected he was in charge of, that he was going to 'sort her out', and that they should get some food and rest before he would debrief them. Nervousness was definitely beginning to creep up on her.

His tone and authority over the three men, one that even looked older than him, instantly confirmed her suspicions. Then they headed onwards towards one central tent, gently she was ushered through and he followed.

There were six men, all hunched over a large map that carefully depicted the ground. If she could she would have very much liked to look at it and see where she actually was.

Such keenness would not go unnoticed.

"My lord." Her guide spoke loudly, carrying himself with confidence and seeming at home with these men from the relaxed posture that he bore.

They all turned to look at her, all baring resembling features of varying shades of black to dark blue hair that was thick and heavy. Deep glaring eyes that caused a shudder run up her spine, her eyed looked away from them.

"Isshin." This 'lord' responded, looking down at this scruffy and injured woman with a distant curiosity. "Who's she?" Whether it was intentional or not, Inare frowned at she, she felt in that instant like the scum of the earth.

"A healer."

* * *

 _"You listening?" The dark haired older woman looked down to the child that had dirt on her nose and scruffy clothes on again. She had given up on trying to get this girl to show some level of decency with her clothing, as in a second she would dash back outside and get mucky again._

 _"Always." She responded with a cheeky grin that never stopped to amuse the older woman despite the deep set frown that perpetuated her face._

 _"Well you had better be." The girl nodded keenly. "There are a few things that you have to be aware of before you decide that you want to be a medic. I don't even think that you are old enough to even be making this decision, but you're a pathetic little bundle of… something, that I can help but take pity on."_

 _The bored look on her face showed anything but pity, maybe something more akin to exasperation, but the girl absorbed all she said with a keen interest that near annoyed the older medic. "First up. Being a medic is not heroic. Smack out any fantasy ideals you have about saving lives and standing for what's for the good of people. It'll get you nowhere. Not in this world."_

 _A pouty line formed on the child's face, that first point already sounding a little hard for her young heart and mind, still the woman carried on. "Secondly. As a medic you have an advantage over others. You will have an in-demand skill. Invaluable to those that need it. This may sound like you have your life sorted, but you have to be cautious of who you let use you."_

 _The concept of someone using her didn't quite register in the girls mind, but she nodded. Pretending that she understood. "Fourthly, yo-"_

 _"You didn't do thirdly!" The interrupted, her little voice sounding pitiful when outraged. The older medic laughed loudly before reaching down to pull at the girls cheeks. "Was just testing to see if you were still listening._

 _"Thirdly." She paused looking down with a now softer look in her eyes. "You won't always be helping the people that deserve it. One day you may find yourself healing murderers, criminals. All who are only allowed to get away with it because they fight under a single banner. Whenever you find yourself doing this, tell yourself this one thing. Many that live, deserve to die. Some that die, deserve to live. You have no control over that._

 _"Finally, fourthly."_

 _"Kirno." The girl whined loudly and the woman looked down a little annoyed at being interrupted when she had not intended for an interruption. She was just getting to the important part. "What is it Inare?"_

 _The little face scrunched up in thought as she asked. "Is 'thirdly' actually a word?" Her mouth hung a little loose and her large eyes gleamed curiously. Kirno resisted the urge to smack the girl and instead shouted. "Where you even listening?"_

 _"Yes." Inare huffed defensively._

 _"Then what did I just say?"_

 _She looked away the slightest bit and bit her bottom lip. "Something about murders." She mumbled._

 _Kirno sighed in defeat. What else could she expect when trying to teach valuable life lessons to a six years old? "Doesn't matter. What is important is the last point."_

 _Brown eyes perked up in interest. "You survive to see tomorrow. No matter what, you do no let yourself be dragged into death by any of these senseless wars. You got that?"_

* * *

"What you're doing with her is more where my curiosity lies," a reserved grin appeared on the questioning man's face as he asked 'Isshin'. Inare couldn't help the half feeling that there may be a double meaning to his words.

"I found her on patrol. She was nearly six kilometres south of outpost five."

"That's unusually far to go from the stag point. Even for a patrol."

"Saw signs of a scouting dog. I followed the tracks till I found her. She seemed to have had a run in with a Hatake scout. She was bit and I witnessed her healing herself."

"The scout?"

"Dead."

"You?"

"Her."

"How?" Not even trying to hide his disbelief that his girl could managed to break a twig. Much less kill a swift and savage Hatake scout.

"Bashed it's head in with a rock." Inare shivered at the memory his words brought, missing the mild admiration that accompanied it.

Inare felt like she would have needed a breather after that confrontation between these two men, the tension in the room could easily break something with the rush at which they spoke. She wondered if these two men didn't get along too well, the two seem to be in a hurry to end the conversation after all.

Madara glanced over the spiritless girl in curiosity. She looked frail, as if you could easily snap her in half with just a small push. Her figure held the signs of a lean and average woman if starvation had not worn her out so much.

"Prove it." He looked down to her, disbelieve shining in his eyes. "Show me that you can heal."

This 'Isshin' looked down and nodded to her that she should proceed when her attention just turned to him for a split second. It took a moment more for her to decide whether demonstrating this to him was even a good idea.

Not doing so left her fate uncertain. Responding meant that she would likely be able to see herself awaken the next day.

Rolling up a sleeve and unravelling the bandaged that she let drop to the floor, she showed off the enflamed dog bite that she had not paid much attention to the day before.

Grimacing at the sight of the heavily enflamed wound that carried an unhealthy discolouration surrounding crusted blood and flaps of skin, she held up one hand and used that tiniest amount of chakra to light up her hand in the green tint that indicated her mystic palm technique and applied it to the wound.

Within a minutes the swollen skin lessened and enflamed shade of red diminished before a healthier colour took its place. She meant to send a teasing smile at the man with the condescending tone but it probably came out more like a grimace.

"She hardly looks like she can stand on her own two feet."

"That's probably because I can't." She dryly informed him and the spark of irritation that flashed did not look pleased that she had. She told herself that she should probably be quiet.

He carried on as if she hadn't even said anything. "What makes you think that she could even be of use?"

The man that escorted her seemed to shrug. "Since Taiko died. We have one less healer." This logic was so simple it was laughable to Inare. Except she didn't laugh, because if stating a simple fact got her a displeased look, then she could only imagine what laughing would bring.

Conflict just wasn't in her nature.

"Where have you come from?" She was then asked, it took her a moment to register that she was actually asked to speak. Her mind was slow on the uptake this morning.

"The north eastern mountains, beyond the Lightning fields."

Someone in the tent gave a low whistle, but it was the long haired man with the red eyes that said. "That's some walk."

"Hence, why I can hardly stand on my own two feet."

Silence as the man looked over her. Assessing the value she could be to his army on the upcoming battle.

"Madara. She could be a Senju spy." One man behind the tall one warned.

"The Hatake value their dogs greatly, they would not let one be killed in some elaborate scheme. Even for their Senju ally."

Madara's reply did not seem to sooth the concern shared by a nearby young man that could have been no older that Inare, who nodded and turned to the much more threatening man to remark. "Brother, we cannot afford to take such a risk. Not now." He carried a serious air about him that left no room for discussion.

Madara, as she now knew him to be, instead surprised everyone by asking her. "When was your last meal?"

"Meal?" She almost scoffed at the thought, instead had the forethought to look at least a little eager. "Weeks ago."

"Hashirama is not so sly that he would send a spy, especially not a starved woman, or medic at that. He has too much honour about him." He sent a sharp nod to the man behind her that had escorted her to entire way since he had found her. "Get her some food, then take her to the Ebisu. She might be of some use there. If not-" He gave a sharp nod to the man Isshin and Inare felt the temperature drop.

* * *

She ate. Gods did she eat. Bowl of rice and a sort of 'meat' curry after bowl till the man that gave her the food place a hand over the one holding her bowl. "Slow down." He urged her. "You are going to make yourself sick at this rate."

"To be sick with food. I can't think of anything better at this point."

"Alright." He accepted as he lifted both hands in a defeated manner. "I warned you."

She went back eating as if it was her first meal in days, except it was and she relished in it, more so for the fact that it could also be her last. She was handed a cup of water she glugged it down, quenching her thirst beautifully before she shoved in three more mouthfuls.

Her face stretched tightly every time she opened her mouth to take in another large mouthful, but there was food awaiting to fill her stomach so she ignored all pains.

They were sat on a crate that overlooked a segments of the encampment. She would have preferred that they were somewhere a little less open by the fact that every shinobi that walked passed would stop to give her a look. Some even asked Isshin who she was. Thankfully the man did nothing more that wave them on.

"You definitely have a lot more energy about you now."

"Food does that," she spoke with her mouth full.

"It also clearly makes a woman less of a lady."

She shrugged and continued eating.

"What happened? In Lightning?"

She swallowed the food that she had been chewing with effort, she instantly regretted it and knew that it was probably time to slow down on her feasting. "Exactly that same that's going to happen here." She murmured, as she looked down in her food for the next mouthful she suddenly felt put off the by the bean-meat curry and rice that she had been scoffing down seconds ago. With the utensils she began to push the food around on the wooden bowl. "One clan attacks another. One's going to win, the other will retreat. The clan that wins gains new ground and takes over the others territory. From then people will have to decide if they remain or leave."

"You certainly left. You've come to a whole new world down south." He spoke light-heartedly and she tried to see the humour in his words. Yes, she had definitely moved away, but…

"It's still the same world." Inare commented grimly.

"Why did you not stay then?"

She paused before she answered, not really seeing any reason to keep this from these people. It was the same story for most in her situation. "My affiliations with the previous clan would have had me killed."

"Affiliations? You were part of the previous clan?"

"No." She scoffed "Not in the slightest." She picked a single bean and ate it. "Never even saw the heads of that clan, much less of anyone related to them. Only spent maybe a few hours in their encampment. I just healed their men."

"That's hardly any relation with them."

"It's complicated." Inare dismissed with a small wave and returned to taking one bite of her food.

Seeing that getting her to continue on the topic would be a waste, Isshin moved on. "That's a waste thought. We tend to keep the medics, not kill them. They come pretty handy, almost… all of the time."

She scoffed.

The man gave her a dull look. "Well, war certainly has dried any ability you ever had to take a compliment."

Irritation gained on her as she send him a dirty look. "Coming from a warring man, that is a little rich." She continued to glare at him at the man laughed, when his mouth finally closed she noticed a tin scar that went through one side of his lips, starting from the base of his nose to just above his chin.

"I suppose it might have been." He seemed kind all the sudden, and for some strange reason almost understanding. "My name is Isshin. Uchiha Isshin." He did not appear like a nasty man with such an easy smile. His had long unkempt hair that ended around his jaw, but from the saw he kept pushing it out of his face made it seem like he was just to it being much shorted. She nodded slowly as she dragged her eyes away from his face and down to her food. "Inare."

"Just Inare?"

"Just Inare."

He nodded in understanding offering her a small grin. "Well, even with the current circumstances. It's nice to meet you, just Inare."

* * *

As it happened this Ebisu person was too busy to deal with her, and she was in no state to help the elderly man that was busily rushing around giving order on what to do with each injured shinobi. Mostly where simple ones such as "tourniquet and begin stitching" or "bandage that". There was even a "smack that kid on the head and kick him out."

Inare did not get a really good look at the man, but what was startling to see was such an aged man. It seemed so silly now in her mind, but she had really never seen one so old. In slight awe, she didn't quite process what was going on until Isshin nudged her shoulder.

He dragged her away from the largest tents where all the wounded had congregated to. "Not quite sure what else to do with you now. Although you should probably sort out the rest of your wounds, we only bandaged them, they need to be cleaned before the infection gets worse."

"What about this Ebisu person?" Trying not to seem too keen to actually meet the man, mostly because her fascination stemmed for from the fact that he looked really old.

"He's too busy tight now and that man has a temper that you don't want to get on the wrong side of. We'll go back when things calm down."

Inare nodded and he led her to a small tent and opened up the flap but did not peer inside. "Hisoka?" He called out, before closing the flats and turning away. From inside there was a crash and the sound of fumbling before a woman dashed out of the tent in a flurry of brown, blues and reds.

Inare, mildly startled by this woman almost laughed as she looked at her near panicked face. "Isshin!" She cried with joy before pulling the man into a hug. "Such a relief to see you!" Just as quick as she had hugged him, she pushed him away with a quick inspection. "You seem all okay. So, what do you need from me?"

"Why do you always think that I need a favour? Can't I just come and see my sister without such suspicion?" Isshin sounded offended, but anyone could hear the humour.

"Because you do." Her no-nonsense tone brought a grin to Inare's face as she watched Isshin looked deflated. Inare's grin faltered when this Hisoka turned her eyes onto her with an inspecting look. "Who would you be?"

Startled, Inare didn't respond at first, but when she did it sounded uncertain. "Inare?"

Hisoka raised a brow. "That sounded more like a question."

Inare pause in confusion this time, he brain still not having got going even after the food.

Isshin was laughing now while Hisoka frowned. "Lay off her Hisoka." Isshin said as his heavy hand landed on the woman's head. Less than pleased at the gesture, she smacked it away. "I was just hoping that you could help her out. She's a medic, and she's injured. I found her fending for her life against a pack of savage wolves, which I might add that I heroically saved her from, and is in desperate need of a wash and some clean clothes. Would you help her, dear sister?"

Both Hisoka and Inare then offered Isshin a deadpanned look, less than impressed by his attempt at romanticising the story. "I'm not a medic Isshin, send her to them to get her fixed up."

"It's too busy there and it's not serious."

This Hisoka huffed but there was no malice or irritation in it. "I'll be sure to get the real story from Inare. Now go." Hisoka shooed the man away before dragging Inare into the tent.

"This is where all the women sleep. Men are not allowed in." Hisoka quickly began rattling off. Inside was a collection of rolled up mats that obviously served as beds and many packs. Hisoka then looked at Inare with a serious look. "For our safety. I'm sure you understand when the heat and blood rush gets to their heads.

"Nothing has ever happened, of course. Some of the woman here are master shinobi and would rather kill their own clan than let one of them in here. They can be fiercely protective of those that can't fight."

Hisoka began rooting around a section where a mat was unrolled and the contents of a pack spewed out messily. "I'm sure we can find you something to wear instead of those rags, and I suppose you'll be wantin' those wounds sorted. I'm not a medic mind you, so I can only do the basics. You hardly look like you can stay on your feet so I guess healing yourself if out of the question-" and she rattled on as she began rooting through a bag and then another bag.

She was friendly, with wide brown eyes and hair that was a deep shimmery brown that made Inare envy her. She chatted cheerfully, spewing out odd bits of information that Inare really didn't take note off, but her welcoming demeanour was refreshing.

Hisoka helped her undress out of her tattered clothing, the sash closed top came first before the oversized trousers followed. Her bare body was an awful sigh and Inare was suddenly very conscious of how withered, bruised, blistered and battered she looked.

After the startled glance at her naked body, Hisoka seemed to look passed it all and offer Inare a wide smile. "We'll have you all cleaned up in no time."

Hisoka washed her with a damp cloth and cold water, once the initial dirt that covered her was gone, she paid more attention to the open wounds ensuring that they were completely clean before layering them with salves that smelled mildly of almond. Hisoka confirmed Inare's suspicions that the salve was crushed up mushroom of the sun.

Back in her old home, some referred to it as the Gods Mushroom because of how effective it was at preventing infections, but her master and herself preferred to call it almond mushroom or mushroom of the sun.

Together they were about to begin bandaging her up when a gust of chilled air spread through the warm tent and both women looked to the entrance of the tent. Hisoka gasped in alarm before in a dash quickly draped a blanket over Inare's bare body.

"My Lord." Hisoka admonished. "This is highly inappropriate, I shall have to ask you to leave." The stern tone on her impressed Inare and she small smile on her face showed it.

"I realise this may seem less than proper, however I am obliged to ensure that this woman is not going to cause any problems."

"I do not see-"

"You are protective of the girl, anyone could see why." As he then looked over the frail looking woman as she now clutched the tightly blanket that seemed to drown her withered body. "But if you continue to interrupt me, I will have you removed from here."

Authority and rank seemed to change Hisoka disposition as she quickly submitted to her clan leader and nodded silently. While she did not want Madara to be intruding, neither did she wish to leave the injured girl with him alone.

"Remove your robe." His demand startled both women.

Inare tightened her grip on the robe, unconsciously closing more. "Why?" she cautiously asked, drawing out the one word so as to gather her wits about her.

"I need to determine whether or not you are a threat."

"How does stripping exactly achieve that?" Her flare of defiance did not resonate well with this man as his eyes darkened a fraction. He appeared to like this situation almost as much as she did.

"Inare." Hisoka whispered behind him. "Do as he says." Had Inare looked around the large man she would have seen the unhappy but pleading look in the kind woman. Instead Inare sneered at Madara.

Shame suddenly filled her as she loosened her hold on the robe and opened it, before letting the thin material slide down her body, she breathed in deeply. The chilled air and underlining fear hit her and her skin rippled with bumps. Every thinly visible muscle tightened on instinct.

Her eyes cast down as she saw the intent gaze in his red eyes and her shame reached new peaks as her face and chest flared with heat, while her arms and legs remained cold and rippled.

Slowly, he stalked around her as a predator might do to its injured prey. Inare resisted the urge to spin to follow his eyes the entire time. One circle was all he did along with quickly grasping both her palms and turning them over in his own. He turned to Hisoka and gave the woman a brief nod, then left as fast as he had arrived.

A shaky breath left Inare when she could no longer feel his presence and she felt as if she could collapse there and then. Instead she turned to the still frozen Hisoka with her arms wrapped tightly around her chest. "So… what was that you said about men not being allowed in here?" Inare attempted to lighten the lingering tense mood.

Eyes wide at Inare's sudden admission, even worse at her attempt to just joke it away, Hisoka continued with an uncomfortable silence. Her thoughts clashed within her, but even her internal strife was not enough to blurt out a stuttered apology. "I'm so sorry!

"It's just that rules in the encampment don't tend to apply to Madara and his brother. Being the Clan Heads and all that. I-I-I never thought something like that would ever happen," a deep frown marred her forehead, expressing to Inare how stunned she was at the event.

"It's fine." Inare lied. "You should not concern yourself with it." Her words left Hisoka feeling isolated from Inare, unable to form a bridge between herself and the lonely woman that seemed to draw away from any interaction. So she began bandaging the girl again.

"Come to me tomorrow and I'll replace them." She offered with a smile, once she had finished. Inare agreed unenthusiastically as they'd be no need, hopefully by tomorrow she could heal it herself. Turning to the pile of clothing that Hisoka had offered to give to Inare, she passed them to the girl.

Hisoka wanted to stay and help her, but felt that Inare had already had her decency and autonomy stomped on enough for one day.

"Here. I'll… I'll leave you to get dressed. It's not much, but here's a hand mirror." Then passing the small palm sized object to Inare, she offered one last smile that now felt awkward, before she quickly left her alone.

The tent flaps open and closed quickly, and air once again passed through. Putting the pile of clothing and the mirror down, she pulled on the white under layer pants, then pulled on the old brown leather boots that were softened with age, which quickly proved to be too big.

Removing them, she realised that socks had also been added to the pile, so she pulled them on before putting the boots on again. Still too big, but at least now it would bother her a little less. Seeing as Hisoka had already helped her with binding her chest, all that remained was the white top that would go under the dress that she would wrapped around and fastened at the side.

Instead of putting them on she picked up the mirror and glanced at herself. The reflection was startling and frightened her at first, but she continued to look, not wanting to be put off her own face. While her skin retained its olive hue, it looked stretched tightly over her face. The days of dehydration had left her skin dry and cracked and the faint freckles on her nose had become more pronounces from the hours in the sun, but looked more of an infection on her dried skin than a natural occurrence.

Hazel eyes looked too large and sunken, whereas her face seemed so small that it was washed out by the large mop of unkempt dulled auburn hair, that Hisoka had been unable to do much with other than comb out most of the foliage and large knots. Sections of the hair had matted together and Hisoka had broken her comb attempting to remove them.

Thankfully her lips where looking a lot better than she had imagine they would. The treatment with honey must have really helped with soothing them, shame it had not had the same effect to the rest of her skin.

When the face began to feel a little less foreign, she put it down and out of sight. Before looking down at her protruding ribs , hips and sunken tummy. Gently, she laid a hand over it feeling the firmness of where all the food had gone. Inare knew that one filling meal would not make a huge difference to her body, but she was glad that now she would begin to take on more fats and essentials.

If she was permitted to stay.

It was unnatural for her to be this skinny, she'd never witnessed herself so small. She wasn't petite by what she supposed where normal standards. Her broad shoulders where sometimes considered too narrow to be in proportion with her full hips and round rear, none of which currently looked at they should.

Strange feelings of fear began to drift over her as she slowly came to the realisation how dire her situation had been. How far she had pushed her body, the edge could not have been more than a few days off if she had not stumbled across this-

Movement at the other end of the tent made her head snap quickly over to the entrance.

"My apologies." Isshin quickly spoke, turning and closing the flap behind him. "I thought that Hisoka would be in here." He called through.

Inare slowly released the breath she'd sucked in, mumbling "I thought she was just outside" as she picked up the remaining clothing that she slid her arms around and closed at the front with a brown belt that had been provided. Instantly she felt the soft cotton on her skin, the feel of clean clothing against her now clean skin was too much of a luxury.

The change was happening too quickly that's shed almost become numb, none of this seemed entirely real. At least it was a step closer to feeling like herself again.

Inare took one last critical look of herself in the mirror. She really should have emphasised that she was a medic to Hisoka, and that white did not tend to stay white for long when she was put to work.

"And don't worry." She spoke softly over her shoulder, before slightly sly grin crept up on her. "It's not something someone else hasn't already seen today."

"Doesn't mean that anyone else needs to see." He offered, hoping that it was not him that had placed her in such an odd mood.

To his surprise she offered a mild grin, stopping just short of him expectantly as she left the tent. Her attitude confused him for a second, and he had to force himself to remember what it was that he was here for. "Ah, yes. Um…" still she glanced up, wide brown eyes looking increasingly amused at his stalled mind. "You have to come with me. Ebisu is free right now, so he can take a look at you."

This time her amusement only seemed to multiply. "I'm not some specimen. You know."

"I didn't mean to say you were." Sounding disgruntled at her return. Then looked away, closing up the tent after she left. She left the boundaries of the tent and turned back to him, an unrecognisable emotion playing on her face before she quietly responded with. "Just checking."

* * *

"What did you find out?" His brother asked impatiently when Madara entered his tent. The younger Uchiha was leaning against a table with his arms crossed.

"She possess little to no muscle definition, her skin is unmarred with no faded or visible scars and her hands are the same." Soft and delicate. "I highly doubt that she had undergone any shinobi training."

"Civilian spy. The Senju wouldn't be the first to use them. If she's a medic then she likely specialises in poisons and the like."

"She possess chakra and has refined control over it if she's using medical ninjutsu like it's nothing, any civilian with that would be singled out for better uses. No Clan leader in their right mind would give up a healer."

"I don't like it. It seems all too convenient to gain a healer now."

A hand came to rest on his younger brothers shoulder, attempting to reassure him with a smile that he reserved only for the younger brother. "Good fortune can shine on even the damned. If she shows even the hint of being a spy, I will let you personally deal with her little brother. If that is what will ease you concerns."


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks to _wildcrazythings_ for editing this chapter for me.

 **I don't own anything.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3**

* * *

"Hey, Captain."

"Hmm?"

"You know," the boy questioning his captain glanced away with a slight blush, "since… since…"

"Just spit it out Toke." Isshin grumbled, as he adjusted his position to find a more comfortable perching spot where he could lean against the main trunk of the tree they were up. After he did, he sent a quiet look to Toke urging the adolescent to continue. Although he already suspected what he was about to say.

"Your sister isn't with them today."

"Meaning?" There was no threat in his words, yet his tone carried an air of caution that went straight over Toke's head.

"It's been a while…" the man was now fiddling with his fingers that rested in his lap. "… sooo… could I maybe…"

Isshin sighed out then looked up to the two other shinobi that where hiding in the above branch, one of them giggling like a teenager while the other appeared to be fixated on the scroll in his hands. "Go for it." He finally responded as he then just completely gave up on all three of them.

Isshin hadn't even finished before Toke shot up to the next branch up and joined his two teammates in the gawking session.

"Ha ha ha. Toke! Good that you joined us boy-o." The oldest member of their team smacked Toke on the back almost causing him to lose his balance. "Oi Captain, you're the only one that ain't up here." He then called down to the second oldest member of their team who was doing a decent job at ignoring them.

Still, this did not deter Daichi. "You know. This really could be considered a great team building exercise. So you should be leading this Cap, it'll help develop team efficiency and trust. And it's like the kid said. Your sis didn't show up. Sooo…"

No response from Isshin, which only made Daichi chuckle. "Now. Don't be all haughty Cap. I still remember back when you were nothing but a young strapping boy of, I think it was fifteen. You were a bold one back then. You know Toke, you Cap'n when he was your age thought that instead of watching from a distance, he might have a go at-"

"So, what do we have here today." Isshin spoke as he suddenly appeared next to Daichi, an arm spread over his shoulder and his fingers digging painfully into a nerve on Daichi's shoulder bone. To the other two teammates it looked friendly, till you saw the pain contorting Daichi's face. "Lay off." The older man shoved Isshin away. "Well now you here. Have a look at the chest on that one."

Daichi pointed to one of the many women that had congregated at the lake in order to wash their clothing, and themselves. It was a swelteringly sunny day and many of them had stripped down to nothing but thin under layers as they washed the clothing, those that where in the water were actually wearing nothing. A few where even playing around, splashing water at each other and jumping on their backs.

Daichi muttered something about vibrant beauty at its finest, but everyone seemed to ignore him as he fully took the opportunity to enjoy the moments in this war ragged world that that they all endured. Still, neither of the men really paid much mind to the joys of freedom that in that moment they all emitted in that exuberant atmosphere.

All they we really focused on where the giggling accessories that women carried.

"I've seen bigger," Isshin idly commented.

"Yeah, and you almost lost your eyes for it. Ms Kirrin would have killed you if it wasn't for your father." Daichi humourlessly added to which Isshin then frowned at the memory.

Toke gasped and looked at his Captain with misplaced admiration as he whispered. "I only ever heard of Ms Kirrin." It always seemed somewhat unusual to people that Toke could sound so naïve, when appearance wise he could have easily passed for nearly twenty, the tall lad was just shy of fifteen.

"And your captain here, got so close," he loomed into Toke as his voice diminished to but a whisper, "he almost t-" His face smacked into the branch they were all perched on.

"Ah, careful Daichi. My hand slipped."

"Slipped my ass!" He yelled, blood trickling down from his nose. Realising how loud he had spoken, he smacked his hands around his mouth and glanced back to the lake.

Things where continuing just as they had been for the last twenty or so minutes, and Daichi released a sigh of relief. Wiping his nose he grumbled. "Now look at me. People are going to think I'm a pervert."

"You are a pervert Daichi."

"Yeah, but I don't need other people to know."

"Cap. Look, there's that medic that you found," the till now quiet Jian informed their group. Of all his group, Jian was definitely the one that Isshin worried the most about. While his talents with the pen where impressive, he suspected that he did not utilise it responsibly.

Daichi was still fussing himself with his nose, checking that nothing was broken that he wasn't the first to look. But as always, the first to comment. "That starved woman was nothing but skin and bone. Can't see what would be of interest there."

Despite himself, Isshin did look down at the lake. And while her nakedness was something that he paid attention to, he noticed more how isolated she was from the rest of the women. This didn't seem to bother her as she continued to lather her long hair before dunking under the water to rinse it. As she emerged from the depth, her hair almost shone in the sunlight with its ridiculous shade.

She settled herself in the shallow water for a little, probably enjoying the coolness, before she emerged and walked out. It was at this point that Daichi had finished sorting his bloody nose out and looked. "Which one is she again?" To which Jian pointed at the auburn woman that emerged from the water. Isshin wanted to groan at Daichi's new level of idiocy, exactly how many exotically coloured women did he think hung around within the clan? "Damn. Now I was not expecting that."

Neither was Isshin in all honesty. In the few weeks that she had been kept around, she'd gained the weight she must have lost traveling, and it did her many favours. Gone were the protruding ribs and hipbones, the ashen hue replaced by a lively olive tone and while she did not have any muscle definition, she held a lean gracefulness that was eye catching as her body bounced softly towards where her clothing was piled.

"Hm, I was suspicious at first. But it does seem that the cap-"

Daichi went crashing down into the branch below with nothing but a "Screw you Isshin."

"Ah," Isshin sounding moderately disappointed, "my foot slipped."

"Captain." Jian spoke in his soft voice that always bugged Isshin. "Do you think that I captured the atmosphere?" As he then held up the paper that held a mixture of ink doodles. Well they couldn't really be called doodles as they contain detailed images of individual women, most of which he could name…

"What are you going to do with those?" Isshin sighed.

"Sell them," Jian spoke as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, without out a shred of shame or remorse.

"To who?" Outraged that this was happening.

"If I sell them to the cook then I get extra servings for a week. To the armourer and he gives me some new weapon and free maintenance for a month, he wanted drawing of Na-"

"I don't really want to know the details to be honest," Isshin dismissed the man and he turned back to drawing when Isshin's eye caught onto his new drawings.

"Erm. Jian." Isshin scooted a little closer. "Why are there six drawings of the new medic?"

"She is in popular demand at the moment."

Isshins head dropped as he resisted a groan. If his sister ever found out what his teammate was doing, she would personally see to their castration. The threat of his sister aside, Isshin personally didn't like the fact that Jian was distributing naked images of the unsuspecting women while spying on them when they were meant to be on guard.

After a long sigh, Isshin acted. "Okay. That's enough. This is the last time you're doing this." He muttered before taking the scrolls off of the shinobi. The man looked a little startled and then panicked when Isshin with one hand held the seal for a weak kanto, and before Jian could respond, the scroll with all the images was in flames and being dropped to the ground.

"Captain!" Jian howled, the loudest thing that Isshin had ever heard come out of his mouth.

At that exact moment, Daichi had jumped back up to their branch. "Oi, Isshin. Where do you get off throwing people off trees? Now I missed the sight of that healer, she's already got half her clothes on now! If you wanted to keep the sight all t… what's wrong with Jian?"

"Captain destroyed Jian's drawings and told him that he couldn't do it again." Toke was the one to speak up when no one responded. Jian too busy moping and Isshin ignoring all of them. His last thread of patience rapidly dwindling.

"What?" Outraged, Daichi turned to Isshin. "You can't do that. I already paid him with my last bottle of wine." Which was the last straw for Isshin.

"First off. I am the Captain of this team. So think long and hard before you start undermining me. Secondly, you are not even meant to be having wine, that you own some and are trading it breaks so many encampment rules that I am sorely tempted to report you-"

"Um.. Captain…"

"- to Izuna so that I could have the satisfaction of having your ugly face stuck on a pike so that I wouldn't have to listen to all the crap that comes out of it."

Daichi laughed. "Oh bring it on kid. Your about fifteen years too early to take me on."

"So you admit that your over thirty then?"

"Wait. No. I didn't say that."

"Captain, I really think-"

"All your bullshit about being-"

"That ain't bullshit! I am twenty-seven. I meant that I could hand your ass to you like a I had a hundred years of experience!"

"The only hundred year old person I now is having their ass wiped for them."

"That aint what I mean either."

"- need to look at this Captain."

"What Toke?" Isshin snapped at the youngest member, sending a glaring look at the boy. The fourteen year old sort of shrunk under the state but pointed towards the lake. All three of them all then turned to see what Toke was desperately going on about.

Only to be hit smack in the face by a water style jutsu torrent that sent them all crashing into the next tree, then the next one before they all then tumbled to the forest floor along with a confetti of branches, twigs and foliage.

The four of them laid on the ground, a stunned wet heap of shinobi, mud and leaves. From the direction of the lake they all heard a faint, "That'll teach you perverts" along with loud round laughter and cheer. Isshin was mostly relieved that the distance meant that they couldn't tell who they were, and the women didn't seem to hold much interest in pursuing them.

Some women where just satisfied with violence.

Which Isshin on most days could just accept, when it wasn't directed at him.

Fortunately that was the majority of the time seeing as he managed to keep out of trouble.

"Well." Daichi began, as he ways did. With a groan, he sat up and rubbed the back of his now sore neck and looked over to Isshin to was sitting upright too. Toke and Jian had yet to make a full recovery, looking to still be stuck in a daze. "This hasn't happened to me in a while."

Isshin scoffed with a nod before glancing over to Daichi. "This is the last time I take a scouting rota at this time of the day." Then began running his hands through his wet hair.

"You say that every time." Daichi spoke with a wide grin. "And every time I manage to persuade you."

"Hn. How about next time I just refuse to listen to your advice?"

Daichi laughed loudly. "You'd be dead if that was the case." Pulling himself to his feet, Isshin did the same.

Quietly shaking his head Isshin chose not to respond. "Let's get these two up. I think the women have proven that they will be fine on their own without scouts."

Inare stared in the direction of where the attack had just gone and then back at the three women who had combined their efforts to pull off the combo. She laughed with them, even though she knew that she was likely unwelcome to join in, then went back to shaking out her few items of clothing.

It was a strange sensation to be part of such normal routine. Although it had to happen, she just never applied such mundane actions to a shinobi encampment.

This was only the third time that she had left with the other woman to go bathing, and the first two times she had been too uncomfortable to even remove her clothing and settled for washing her body bit by bit.

When she had realised that none of the women really gave her more than a second glance, she went full out and just decided with the heat and sweat a dunk in the cool lake would be the welcoming relief she needed.

It had been a short few weeks since she had been strangely welcomed into the Uchiha encampment as a medic. Inare was still very uncertain of how she should feel about all of this. On one hand these where shinobi, fighters that where revered as the greatest warriors of this unstable world and this was a very large Clan that clearly had its own agenda in land acquisition. Yet, she was alive. She was fed, no longer starving, her strength was back and she beginning to gain weight, all while feeling more like her former self.

She could not lie to herself about any of those fact, just that one was easier to ignore for now.

Now washed, dressed and with a pile of wet laundry. Inare decided that she would make her way back before the other women joined. It wasn't as if she walked with them.

Using one of her borrowed skirts as a sling to hold all her wet clothing, she began the short journey back to the encampment.

As she moved away from the lake, the sound of the women diminished, and Inare rapidly found a rise of comfort. While solitude had become a comforting aspect of her life, being surrounded by such energy was change that she revelled in.

Idly, she wished that she was comfortable enough to return and join them in their conversations, songs and laughter. Hisoka had not been around to help her integrate this time, and Inare had failed horribly on her own. Inare was admittedly an awful socialiser and the women here where already fixed in their own social groups that she had no entry to. She was not necessarily outwardly disliked by these Uchiha, there was just a very large air of caution and distrust.

Of which she could understand and was in no rush to prove otherwise.

As she began walking, she could already feel beads of sweat dripping down her clammy skin, making her frown. The heat the last few days had been ridiculous, by the time she made it back to the encampment she would no doubt be covered in sweat.

It was hard to get used to. While her old home had been just as sunny, the air had invariably been chilled. How she missed her old home on days like this.

"Look who it is!" Someone cried out joyfully, and Inare froze to a stop at the sound of an unknown man's voice. Cautiously, she turned to see a company of four men of varying ages suddenly drop from a tree. Inare held back of completely recoiling in shock at their sudden appearance as she quickly recognised Isshin, the man that arguably saved her from infection, blood poisoning and starvation.

"Hello." She greeted kindly, with a small smile that only afterwards did she realise felt more forced than necessary. She only knew Isshin from a small encountered right at the beginning of her entry to the Uchiha encampment, and this new man that had actually spoke seemed overly friendly. That put her out of sorts.

"Don't tell me you don't remember me?" He asked, looking someone downtrodden. Isshin took the opportunity to push the man aside.

"Sorry Inare. He can be a little-" at which point Isshin was then pushed out of the way and the man came forwards again, stepping a little too close. She then noticed water dripping from his hair and clothing. All four of them were drenched.

"I bandaged you up when you were all starved and beat up, the names Daichi. Good to see that you gained the weight and all. Now, I'm no healer myself, but I have been told that I have a magic touch. So you have to remember me!"

Inare would never have thought about it unless he had said so, but now he asked he was incredibly familiar. The rugged features and poorly kept beard quickly reminded her of the man from Isshin's team who'd woken her up once. She was reminded of a discomfort he had arose in her, but the easy smile was a little hard to be put off by.

But still…

A smile lit up Inare's face. "Yes. I remember. I apologise, how could I forget? I would recognise your face anywhere." Gradually her tone morphed form joyful surprise to one of drowning sarcasm. "A bunch of peeping perverts like you lot are hard to forget."

Stunned silence greeted her, and her eyes danced across the faces of all four men. From the youngest red faced embarrassment, a very blank uncaring face, Isshin's obvious shame and the oldest mildly panicked look that told her he didn't know how next to respond.

Shaking her head at the silliness of it all, she told then, "I won't tell anyone it was you guys."

Relief then passed them all. Except the person with the blank face, who Inare just then realised looked like he was nodding off.

Daichi laughed loudly, clutching his belly as he did so. Once it died out, he stood straight and smacked Inare on the back. If not a little too hard, and she had to take a step forward to take the impact. "You're a sparky little one!" He said with a smile. "Come on, you're going the wrong way for the encampment."

Despite herself, Inare actually smiled at the statement. Even though she knew she should still be angry that not five minutes ago all four of these men where probably looking at her naked. But somehow, she found the small part of it all where the humour lied.

Which was a very small hard to find place. Now on second thoughts, she probably should tell someone.

"Unlike you, our new medic has some sense of directions." Isshin interrupted dryly as Daichi began heading off on his own. Despite the cold tone to his comrade he still offered Inare a kind look which she reciprocated. "You were going the right way." Obviously feeling the need to clarify for her.

"I know I was."

"Ah, hmm." Daichi seemed a little stunted at that as he looked around the trees. "That explains a lot," he mumbled to himself before going off again in the direction that Inare was travelling in.

The youngest of Isshin's group laughed and Inare peeked a look at the tall boy. The one that had not made a single sound was likely nearer her age. Isshin, she had still to decide how old he was but decided that the fact mattered little to her.

All but Isshin followed after the oldest member of their group, and Isshin then nodded his head in their direction and Inare followed.

They walked in silence side-by-side that Inare did not feel the need to break. Isshin on the other hand did. "Erm. Just so you know… we weren't peeking… at anyone specific. It was just an… you know… an overall glance." He had hardly began before they both knew he was digging himself into a deeper hole at this rate.

"I'm not going to tell anyone, so you don't have to worry about what I think."

Clearly looking a little disappointed with her lack of care, he tried to further clarify. "I didn't mean it in that sense. More of the sense that I… well we weren't targeting our focus."

"Captain." Jian whispered to him almost out of nowhere and Inare almost jumped at the body sudden appearance. Isshin nodded, a mild look of relief dotted his face. "You know what you said earlier about me…" He drifted off hoping that his captain would get the hint.

Isshin cleared his throat a little nervously. "If you can get full permission," which he doubted Jian would ever receive. The boy was too quiet and sometimes surrounded by a sullen atmosphere to ever receive such permission from a woman. "Then got for it. If not. Don't. Or there will be consequences Jian"

Inare gave them both an inquiring look, obviously wanting to ask what they have been talking about, but Jian's sudden change of demeanour from gloomy to near depressing had Inare blanching a little and feeling even more out of place than she did before.

What could possibly change someone's mood that quickly?

In the end she chose not to think too much about it, and almost wiped the thought of that boy named Jian from her mind.

Till he turned to her at the just outside the south entrance to the encampment with an expectant look.

"Miss Medic." He greeted her. His tone cool and carrying very little trace of emotions. "Would you possibly be interested in a whetstone?"

Her brows rose. "A whetstone."

"Yes. I have many that I could offer you."

A smile grew on her. "I'm afraid that I have no use for a whetstone." She told him with a short laugh, a little confused by the strange offer.

"Ah." He paused. Thinking. "How about some sake?"

Her brows now rose in interest. "I wouldn't mind some sake. What you offering for it?" Expecting maybe he would want some salves for injuries, or extra bandages.

It was something that she had come to experience with the encampment life, how the people would trade continuously. She had been offered weapons, food and nice little luxuries such a soaps for bandages, salves or even just healing bothering blisters.

"Please give me permission to draw you naked."

"Use your goddam imagination!" Isshin shouted at the boy before his fist came crashing down on the poor Uchiha and sending his instantly unconscious body crashing into the ground.

* * *

Just expanding outwards to have some more Uchiha's thrown in the mix. Dont worry, its not going to be all cheer with the Uchihas, i wanted to get a nice mixture of both human and war. :)


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks to _wildcrazythings_ for editing this chapter for me.

 **I don't own anything.**

* * *

 **Chapter 4**

* * *

The attack was unannounced. Although considering these where shinobi, there wasn't much surprise to be found in that fact.

It began with an explosion. A spherical gas wall pushing outwards, enveloping everything within the radius of the blast, moving faster than sound.

The air around her sapped to nothing as the pressure dropped drastically, leaving what would have been a suffocating void. It lasted for the smallest fraction of a single second before it returned in full force as a rush of supersonic heat flooded the vacuum, hitting her centre.

Trees, rocks and earth where hurled and fragmented. Weaponised debris at high speed penetrating projectiles that shot out in all direction.

The centre of the explosion itself doesn't tend to be what kills the most, but the debris, was the nagging thought that popped up in her head from somewhere.

Her lungs where alive with a fire that burns and dust that asphyxiated.

Overwhelmed with the sudden sensations, she saw white. Heard a loud ringing that seemed to bounce off the walls in her head non-stop. She had been unfortunate enough to be near enough to the explosion to have been hit by the a projecting rock that hit her painfully in the hip.

Knocked to the ground, a sense of unreality overcame her as she stared uncertainty at all the chaos that began around the explosion sight once the dust began settling.

The explosion had still not cleared before a rush of weapons flying in the direction of the camp. They were less than two hundred meters from it, and Inare regretted ever leaving to collect water.

The fight broke out quickly with Uchiha shinobi retaliating with their own barrage of shuriken and kunai being hurled to the shinobi that where jumping over out of the smoke and only meters away from her.

She had been in such a daze that she barely noticed when someone linked an arm under her armpits and dragged her backwards out of range from the fight. Inare returned to the world when the pain of being dragged on her ass pulled her together and she managed to shake herself out of the haze.

"Move." Someone screamed in her ear and Inare near leap to her feet. "Get out of here."

What was she doing here?

There was a lasting ringing sound that rattled off inside her head, leaving her struggling to concentrate on anything aside from the dull pain of her hip and under one arm.

A stray kunai that narrowly missed her and cut her cheek sent a wave of reality rushing into her system. Her jumbled brain jumped to action as adrenalin rushed her system and after, what felt like, a reassuring nudge Inare began running awkwardly towards the camp. The fight was contained to just outside but the Uchiha seemed determined to destroy their enemy quickly.

* * *

He was on his feet the moment he heard the explosion, dashing out of the encampments with no armour on.

His feet carried him quickly in the direction of the scattering dust and the sound of metal clashing. The fight was taking place too close to the encampment, and they needed to push the fight back and away from it so as not to endanger the injured, sick and non-combatants.

On the ground he could see a number of collapsed shinobi and non-combatants, a mass of auburn hair was an indicator that somehow their foreign medic had managed to get pulled into it.

The fight was pushing forward and she had yet to move from her position on the ground, but seeing her move told her she was conscious. He reached her quickly and slipped an arm under her shoulder and began rapidly dragging her back towards the camp and pulled her to a sitting position. "Move!"

She needed to get out of there before she got injured needlessly.

If anyone was going to kill her it was likely his brother for doing something stupid to endanger their clan. Her life would be somewhat wasted on this small attack. "Get out of here!" He shouted again when she wasn't moving fast enough.

She jumped to her feet with a glazed over and dazed expression on her face.

But was not moving.

He figured that she was in shock. Behind him the battle moved ever closer and he needed to go push it back before advanced any further. A stray kunai whizzed towards them, and Madara spun to deflect it with his own, but did so too late and the deflection send it off in the medics direction, only narrowly missing her.

Cursing at his lack of awareness, Madara now took actions into his own hands and he spun her around to face the encampment and gave her a push to begin moving in that direction.

She stumbled but got on her way, while he kept his back to her keeping any further flying weapons from hitting her or any of the shinobi evacuating the casualties. For now that was his priority till they were all in the encampment.

Four shinobi managed to break through his forces and began advancing towards the encampment.

Grinning, at being offered more of a challenge than some feeble long distance attacks, Madara charged forwards towards them.

* * *

"Get a move on." Ebisu howled at her, pushing her into the open tent where three shinobi where screaming in agony. "This is no time to be standing around looking stupid."

Despite his age there was surprising strength as he directed her forcefully with a hand on her back. He left her and went to go help someone that was thrashing around. She could only see one other medic and she didn't know where the other two were. She limped over to an unattended man, and looked down at him and at the two shinobi holding him down from his pained struggles. Everything below his knee seemed to have been burnt off.

Pulling her hair back, and rolling her sleeves up, Inare limped over to where a spare apron was and pulled it over her head and secured it before limping over to where all the medical tools were kept.

Limping back with what she needed in her hand, her patient screamed more when she saw what she carried with her. His two teammates, she assumed, looked taken aback and loosened their hold enough for one to get hit in the face from her patients thrashing.

Schooling her emotions as much as she could, Inare took the final steps to her now begging patient. "Anything but that!" "Please don't." "I'll ruin me." She had heard them all before, but in these situations he had no choice. She was the attending medic, and her decision overruled all others.

His included.

"Hold him down tight. Or this will get messy." Were her only words of warning to the shinobi before she began.

Pulling a ribbon of thick clothe she wrapped it around his thigh and tied as tight as she could. Placing the one glowing hand above his knee, she placed the serrated edge of the saw where she intended to cut through.

"Can you put him to sleep?" One shinobi quietly asked her and Inare looked up. Her eyes where apologetic as she pushed and made the first cut. His screams likely damaged his voice box as there was an awful sound towards the end of it just before he passed out. Inare kept on cutting, blood splattering everywhere, on her face and apron. She didn't stop, even as she muttered a quiet. "No one can stay awake for that."

* * *

"Who were they?"

Susumu shrugged, as he nudged one of the dead bodies over to its back and looked down. "I would have said Grasslands from their fighting style, but their weapons..." Crouching down he pulled out a long sword. "… not what I would have thought from them, it's more like they got it from the rain shinobi."

"Then they would have had to pass through their lands to end up here. Something must have happened on their side that has pushed down this way."

"Earth?"

"No doubt. The Kamizuru clan was expanding heavily from the last report we got from the north."

"Think we should send off some recce groups to see how close to our borders they are? The northern encampment might be at risk."

Nodding grimly, Madara agreed. "Let's do that."

"Senju in the east, the desert Clan in the west now Kamizuru could be imposing from the north. We've got some heavy hitters near surrounding us."

"We have seen better years." Madara agreed. "Send a hundred troops to the northern encampment. Let's not wait on a recce team or message to get back. We'll reinforce them right away." Their campaign on the east has depleted reserves and troops from other encampments over the years.

Now was the time to reinforce them and ensure that they protected their territories. Izuna would likely return the next few days from their southern encampment, and he would then send him right back off to the north.

His brother would be furious, but he would have to understand. Izuna was ideal for ensuring that their forces were well trained and in formation.

Looking back down at the dead Grass shinobi, Madara pondered for a brief moment. "What possessed them to attack a base they had no hopes of defeating?"

From his side Susumu shrugged, "Some people just want to go down fighting."

"Or its the prelude to another attack."

"Ah, that too." Susumu now sounded a little worried and glanced around. "I'll have the perimeter checks doubled."

"And you'll go get a report from the medics tent."

"Not this time, mate. I did it last time."

Grinning over at Susumu. "You're my second command for a reason. You have to do all the shit I send your way."

"Whatever you say, but I'm not doing it this time."

Huffing in easy agreement on seeing the drained look on Susumu's face, he'd been pretty close to the blast site from what he'd gathered. "Fine. Then your checking in on all the outposts."

"What?" Susumu cried in outrage, it was undoubtable the worst job to be given, although not as emotionally draining as receiving the medics report. "That's a seriously shit job to give to someone."

"And you have to do it."

Sighing out, Susumu rose and began in the direction of the closest outpost. Muttering some curses on his way.

Still grinning, Madara looked over to three of the younger shinobi loitering around and told them to start piling up the bodies of the dead enemy and burn them far from the camp. The kids looked a little distraught, but obliged.

Madara made to leave, making the mistake of not checking on how they were doing the task he had set them. He had gone no more than a few feet when he heard a male howl of pain.

A young boy was screaming as a kunai had been stabbed deep into his shoulder, staggering backwards in the shock while at his feet the enemy was struggling at pushing himself up.

"For fuck sakes," Madara cursed before walking over with no rush at the enemy shinobi that was now struggling to move away, dragging himself along the floor. Madara arrive and placed a foot onto his back and pushed down with most of his weight, pleased at hearing the sickening crack of ribs break beneath him.

Crouching low, Madara twirled out a kunai from a pouch at his leg and pressed it against his neck. The enemy began spitting out shit while groaning at the pain of Madara pushing his foot down on his back.

Ignoring him, Madara turned around to the three hopeless shinobi that had not moved. Madara wanted to shout at their uselessness, which he would have done if any of them were at least half his age. However, from his own experience with his father, Madara knew the lack of effectiveness of such approach.

"So… when dealing with the corpses of enemies… how do you do it?" He sighed out instead, figuring if they were too retarded to figure it out on their own he might as well turn this into a lesson for them.

All three of them, Madara guessing that the oldest was likely ten, looked sheepish and uncomfortable at suddenly being put on the spot. Probably didn't help that it was their clan leader that was putting them there.

"You all know this. You've learned it at some point," at least he hoped they had.

Still not response.

"At this point, I will take any answer," he had to restrain himself from groaning the words. He really did not know how to handle children, much less teach them.

"Check that they are dead?" It was the sobbing young one that responded, hand pressing down on area around the kunai in his shoulder. It was embedded nearly to the end of the blade. Madara wouldn't have been surprised to see that it had done right through his little shoulder and was poking out the other end.

"Yes," Madara almost groaned aloud, thanking whatever god that had given this child inspiration. "How?"

"You work in teams," nodding in approval at who he figured was the oldest that was now talking, the kid elaborated. "One will do the checking, removing the body of weapons an-"

"Before that?" He interrupted.

"Before…" he didn't know, so Madara looked at the one that hadn't said anything so far. He flushed and looked away, but seemed to muse over it and was the first to respond after a moment.

"Check if they have attached an explosive tag."

"Yeah." Madara nodded grimly. "You will see many deaths due to that careless mistake."

The meek one was the one to sum the entire process up, leaving Madara mildly impressed. "Your teammate remains at the head to deliver a quick kill if necessary. While you first flip the body to check for explosives. If there is one, flip the body back over to absorb the shock of the explosion and get out. If not, remove weapons and then begin removal of the corpse."

"Good. Make sure you do that to all of them, although first take him to the nearest medics." Nodding towards the quietly sobbing boy with the kunai still stuck in his shoulder. He moved to pull the kunai out before Madara told him not to.

At this point Susumu suddenly showed back up on the scene and Madara wanted groan out in relief. "What happened? I heard a scream," Susumu was glancing around wildly at the scene and realisation quickly overcame.

"You're a bit late there," Madara muttered under his breath as he deadpanned at the man.

Beneath him their not-so-dead enemy was still groaning. Looking down at him, Madara made a face at realising that he was still conscious and flicked his kunai around to have his kunai hilt facing downwards and smacked it right down onto his head, knocking him out.

"Susumu, take care of him but watch over them first. Change of plan, you two keep removing the bodies making sure to follow the procedures he just laid out." Pointing to the meek one. Rising to his feet, Madara walked over to the still sobbing boy and patted him on the back. "Kids, let's get you to a medic."

With all the drama now over, Madara stood straight and began towards the base, not looking forward to having to receive the medics report.

* * *

She was still washing her hands of the blood when he entered, a sobbing boy at his heels. With her injured hip, Inare couldn't move around very quickly, so she had been tasked with remaining in the tent with all the severely injured while the other medics where now dotted around the camp providing minor treatment.

Her amputee was resting after she had healed the stump and bandaged it accordingly. She was not looking forward to him waking up and begin shouting at her again.

It was very common with her patients that required emergency amputation. Leaving it for any length of time would have just made it open for infection that would have destroyed the tiny remaining strips of his tissue that barely hung onto the fragmented bone.

Telling him that while he was screaming would really have had no effect, except probably make him angrier. The reality was that she did not stand apart from any other medic in her decision. All of them would have done the same.

The knowledge that it destroyed any shionbi's career had not escaped her. From what she knew, those that were injured to the point where they could no longer fight where returned to Uchiha lands and out of way of the fighting.

Being the only attending medic in the tent, she was the first person he approached. Long steps, with no armour but dust coating most of his clothing and face. He looked like he had been out in the battle too at some point, but she had not felt any earthquakes.

Inare had overheard that when the Uchiha clan leaders fought, the earth tended to move. Or maybe she was remembering that differently.

"Medic, where's Ebisu?" She noticed the boy before she really paid attention to him and hobbled over to him to begin assessing the injury.

"I don't know. Somewhere in the camp," she mumbled out, taking a clean scalpel from her apron she began working on removing the kunai deeply embedded into his skin.

"Any other medic?" The question was asked as she began easing the blade out, her hand instantly moved over the injury and began healing nearly all of the tissue. The boys sobs quietened now, and Madara rested a hand over his uninjured shoulder.

Inare's eyes darted over curiously to the clan leader, this had been the first time that she had spoken to him since he had asked her to strip that first day she was here. "As you can see, I'm the only one here."

He looked irritated and Inare now just regretted talking to begin with. Although ignoring him was becoming less of an option as the child's shoulder was nearly done. She left to grab some bandages to wrap the nearly healed wound up tightly. "Don't touch it," smacking the child's hand away as he moved to fiddle with the bandages. "Come back tomorrow and someone will replace it."

With the pain likely lowered to a managed level, the boy looked up a lot happier at her and Madara, although tears still glazed over his eyes. After seeming to receive some confirmation from Madara, he jumped off the seat that Inare had placed him on to slowly walk away.

"Can I be of some help?" Turning to Madara now that her patient was dealt with, suspecting that he was injured somehow as well. She had quickly decided to dislike the man from their first meeting, but seeing as he was here she might as well heal him if he needed it.

"You are going to have to, I need a summary of the deceased and injured."

"Um…" she had not expected that to be his response, injuries she could do, but this? "…there are…" her attention drifted towards the entrance hoping that there was someone else arriving to take this job from her "… five dead, one of them was caught in the centre of the explosion," they'd found his head about four meters away from his body, apparently. "And the two others likely from the debris," one had been hit on the head with a rock that likely killed him on impact and the other had been impaled by some blunt object. Thankfully she had not been around to see that one. Not that any of the others where a pretty sight. "Maybe ten casualties, three of them severe but if they make it through the night, they'll survive."

"Maybe ten casualties? I don't want half-arsed assessments, Medic. If you report to me, then speak with certainty."

The force at which he shot down her assessment shook her confidence to the core. Swallowing her nervousness of this man, she spoke with a little more certainty that she barely managed to scrap together. "There are ten casualties, as of now. Sir."

Madara nodded, eyes lingering on the groaning injured that all lay behind her under the protection of the tent. Dust still lingered in the air and Inare could taste it on her lips, she was still grimacing at her use of sir when he began again "show me the dead."

Inare stiffened, ready to tell him that was not really appropriate, but held back on realising that she didn't really know what appropriate was in these situations. She was always brought in after the battle as an extra hand, this was a first for her being around for the full blow of the injured and dead.

Madara was moving before she realised and she had to catch up as he rounded to the back of the tent where they were temporarily keeping the deceased. They were all lined up neatly, white sheets covering, little white tags attached to a big toe with their names on them.

There was no one here yet to claim the bodies, but again Inare wasn't really sure if that was how it would work in the battle grounds. Would they even be buried? Here in the middle of a forest or was there some place for them to return home to?

Madara stood at their feet, head cast down and his mouth moving silently.

Inare swallowed thickly the remorse and looked away from the sight, knowing that she didn't belong here and couldn't stand to look for more than a few moments.

"These two." Madaras soft voice drew her attention and unwillingly she looked over to the two bodies at the end he was pointing to. They were probably the most recent deceased. "Why are there no names on them?"

Inare stumbled a bit as she got closer. Peering to search for tags marking them. "I don't know." She confessed, a little surprised that no one had tagged them. "They may not have been identified yet, or someone forgot to attach the tags."

"Do it now."

"Now?" Inare blurted. She didn't know who they were, but the look Madara sent her way urged her scampering as fast as she could for tags, string and coal.

Awkwardly kneeling down by their bodies, Inare tried not to gag as her nose picked up faint smells of death. On the paper she gave them a number, and but what was all she could, "I'm afraid I don't know who they are."

"The man is Matsuko. The child is his son, Oshio." Inare sucked in a breath at that knowledge. "He was eight."

"Oh." Suddenly feeling drained from everything. She wrote the names neatly and tied them to their toes.

It was easier when they were nameless and she didn't know such silly facts like family and age. Now the small body hidden by the cloth seemed too small. Too young to be lying under that sheet.

Shuffling to the side of the body, she rested a hand on where his head should be. "Rest in peace with your father, Oshio." She whispered to them both, removing the hand she stood slowly. Looking across to the other bodies, four large ones and now the impossibly small one. Inare felt her gut wrench.

Closing her eyes she pushed the feeling away. This was not the first time she had seen such young dead. It just never got easier to deal with.

Her breathing deepened and it became harder to avoid thinking about it as everything from that day suddenly took a central role in her mind. Spinning on her feet she walked stiffly passed Madara to the nearest bush and bent over with her hands resting on her knees. She had been through this enough time that she knew she wouldn't be sick. But that didn't mean she wouldn't feel it.

Her breaths where heavy and she groaned from the weight of the past hour. Attempting to regain her frail composure she breathed deeply, forcing slower breaths.

When she turned Madara was watching her curiously with an unreadable expression on his face. Then looking away, he began to leave obviously still having a lot of other stuff to do to after the attack.

Inare sometimes really hated herself for her impulsiveness. Especially when she felt the need to shout out after a Clan Heads and question their motives and methods. "Why do you send them so young?" She weakly asked. "They don't stand a chance out there. I mean, what's the point if you are only going a lose your younger generation?" Despite having calmed, she still felt queasy. But she held her stance as she waited for his response.

Around them the world carried on, the wind still carried leaves and dust across the lands, and shinobi still lived to fight and kill for another round. Yet for that boy of eight and his father, that all stopped. For what? At the whim of a Clan Head that wanted to rage war against an old enemy?

Had none of these esteemed and highly regarded leaders never stopped to see the stupidity of all their actions?

Her old masters hatred for clans came reeling back to her, and Inare only now began to truly understand why that hatred had been so strong. Why her master had disowned her when Inare claimed that she wanted to go help heal the wounded from the wars, claiming that it was as fool's errand.

Too this day the regret of that fight lived with her. But she was now only understanding why Kirno had taken such a strong stance against her.

"Have you stopped to think that maybe it isn't by my order that they are out there?" He asked, face turned away from her. Inare didn't respond, because she was uncertain how he would respond to her answer. He gave a low chuckle at her silence, probably unsurprised. "They fight by their own decision."

"They are children. They are too young to be deciding what they should and shouldn't be doing. They only fight because they believe there is no alternative to their lives, not when every day they see their fathers, mothers and siblings doing the same. Over and over again without an end-"

"They fight because they believe there is an end." Interrupting her at the ideal moment, as Inare knew she would have said something she would come to regret.

"But there isn't." The venom that took hold of her voice was unintentional, and it was only after she had spoken it that the bitter resignation to such a sad fate dawned on her. Her gaze remained on Madara for reasons that she could not quite put a name to. She might call it dependency, him as the leader of this clan his insight or knowledge of something might give her reassurance.

Only now did the man glance back at her. Eyes shadowed by an unreadable expression. "Not yet."

Inare looked on a little curiously at his unusual words, but rose to her feet now feeling better from the earlier queasy sensations. Taking her eyes off his back, Inare looked down to her dirty and vomit splattered shoes.

"But, in the meantime, there is something useful you could do for me."

* * *

"I refuse."

"Come again?"

"I refuse."

"I did hear you the first time."

"Then there was no need to ask me to repeat it."

"You obviously misunderstood me when I responded. I meant it less in the sense of you needing to repeat yourself, but more reconsider your response."

Inare blinked and swallowed her discomfort. The Uchiha clan head had led her to a part of the Uchiha camp that tended to be heavily guarded and scare her from going within a ten meters of it. "Is that threat?"

"Take it how you wish." The blasé response irritated her, as she looked over where he had brought her.

It turned out to be an area designated for their prisoners of war. There were four cages, three of which were occupied and she was currently standing at the entrance of one of them.

"If I heal him. What will you do to him?"

From only her visual examination Inare could quickly tell that he likely had he had lost a lot of blood from the pale complexion, the head wound had probably been the reason for that. The disturbingly twisted dislocated shoulder, and likely a number of broken fingers.

Not to mention the uneven wheezing probably an indicator that broken ribs where pressing on his lung or, in worst case, punctured a lung.

Inare doubted that all of his injuries where a result of the battle.

Madara's lack of response was enough for her and Inare shifted nervously before muttering darkly. "My reason for refusing."

"You don't seem to understand very well the situation we are in."

"No I don't. I also don't really care too much. I will not heal him, so that you can go and then torture him."

"It is a necessity for now. I do not personally condone this, but it must be done."

Gritting her teeth tightly together, Inare glared up at his defiantly. "You want to know who makes the best torturers?" With narrow eyes she sneered. "Cowards."

Madara gave pause at that, continuing to hold her gaze the entire time he appeared to think through her words. Inare knew that at any moment he probably could just order her to do it, threaten her in some way or another. Yet she would not do it.

"Very well," then turned and began walking away from the cage without another word.

"What?" She blurted out unthinkingly. The question needed to be answered for her, she had been so prepared for anything from this man. Anything but just his acceptance.

He turned around to look at her from the corner of his eyes. "Changed your mind?"

"No. Never, but… that's is?"

"You were expecting me to force you?"

"I wouldn't have been surprised, given what you are about to let happen to him."

"That is not the way I chose to oversee my subordinates."

"But torture is okay?" She snapped.

Seeming to restrain some emotions, Madara spun and advanced quickly onto her, "I would rather not have some self-righteous brat who has been in these lands for less than a month begin lecturing me on the rights and wrong of the world." His scathing words hit her hard, before he finally did leave her standing there near the lowly moaning prisoner.

If he had just come right up to her and slapped her in the face instead of spoken, Inare didn't not think it would have been as impacting as his words. For years she had prided herself on being above shinobi like him, refusing to stoop to condoning torture. Yet to be called brat, and more infuriating self-righteous, and still resonating a fraction of reason or worse, understanding where he was coming from… Inare's jaw clenched tightly in shamed anger.

She healed him, for nothing more than to quieten the prisoners pained moaning.

* * *

 **Let me know what you think of it all so far by dropping a review! Its great motivation for me!**


	5. Chapter 5

Thanks to _wildcrazythings_ for editing this chapter for me.

Slight content warning for any of you that might find this a little disturbing, some level of torture takes place here.

 **I don't own anything.**

* * *

 **Chapter 5**

* * *

"Hungry and desperate you thought that attacking the supply cart would get you what you needed. Except you bet on not encountering as much defence as you did. In which case, maybe there's something that I can do for you?"

Bruised, bloodshot and killer eyes darted up at the Uchiha interrogator. "Fuck off. I want nothing from Uchiha scum."

The injured shinobi did not get the reaction he'd been aiming from his interrogator. Instead Izuna just softly smiled and settled into his seat to a more comfortable position. "Then maybe not for you." Izuna mused, resting his chin in the palm of his hand. His eyes slowly drew over the features of his prisoner. "How about your teammates. We know there still out there."

Only through the enhanced vision of his family doujutu could he pick up the subtle shift in the man eyes as they moved from Izunas feet upwards till they dropped again. "Your concerned for them. And you should be. You've come into some very dangerous lands here. You'd need clean water and food. Maybe even medicine. I'll get them supplies. How about that? What do you want? Tell me, and I'll give it to you."

His prisoners head tilted just enough to tell Izuna that he was listening. Izuna waited for an response he knew wasn't going to come, but already beginning to form in his subject mind.

"Nothing? You'd only want nothing if you foresee yourself dying anytime soon, which we won't allow, or there being some exit strategy. In which case, script me your exit strategy. How do you see yourself getting out of this situation? Which, by the way, you put yourself in. You can't go back home. Can you? You know that. I know that. We have too much of a strong defence here. Your guarded day and night. Let's not think too much on that fact that you have no home either."

A soft breath left him, his back straightened as he finally brought himself to meet Izuna's face. A grim determination could be seen there.

"Let's make peace with that fact, let me help you find this new strategy. In return, all I take from you is some information."

* * *

Madara was waiting for him not far from the prison cell where he had been interrogating his prisoner. "How'd it go?"

"As expected."

"You know it could have been a hundred times faster if you'd just used Tsukyomi" he chuffed as Izuna walked over. "You eh, gonna wipe that off," hinting down to the blood coated kunai in his right hand.

As if having forgotten all about the weapon, Izuna looked down a little surprised. "Oh, almost forgot."

"You get it then?"

"Ahm," his younger brother hummed in confirmation, looking left and right to him, "the remainder of his team is stationed up river. They are waiting out in a cave till they hear back from their team. It's been a full day since the attack so they'll be way gone by now."

"Get a team sent up to survey the location just to check. If possible try to track them down, but if the trail goes cold, double back and return to camp."

"Will do."

"And the prisoner?"

"What, you think I walk around with a bloody kunai for fun?"

"Knew you were the right man for the job," Madara began, then when Izuna had clearly failed in finding something to wipe his blade off on and ended up using his older brothers sleeve, continued to say, "but then you have to do that." Smacking his arm away quickly.

"There was nothing else to use." Without a doubt Madara knew that his younger brother was expressing his deepest frustrations at having to be put straight to work only moments after having returned.

"Your own clothing?" Madara suggested, clearly a little too hopeful of his goading brother.

"Hm, didn't think of that."

Rolling his eyes, Madara walked passed his brother, trying the time to wipe off the excess blood off on his shoulder. "Well you should have."

"So you have been experiencing prolonged headaches, sometimes mild loss of sight and occasionally ear ringing?"

"Yes."

"This has been since the day before yesterday?"

"Since the explosion, yes."

"Have you been keeping yourself hydrated, rested and fed?"

"Always." He flashed her a grin, and Inare resisted rolling her eyes at Isshin attempt at boyish charm. It didn't help that he had dimples.

"Okay." Nodding, she leaned forward, pinching his chin in her hands gently and looking into his eyes. "Are you sure you didn't hit your head in the blast?" She moved his head around to look for any cuts of bruises that might associate his symptoms with a concussion.

"Landed on my but with all the grace of a month old toddler, but I didn't hit my head."

Beside them Daichi snorted and Inare half smiled before her face slipped back into a professional one. Still leaning in, the dim light inside the tent making it hard to get a good look on his pupil responses, Inare held up her pointing finger. "Follow my finger."

Then she began moving it to the far right, left, to the bottom. All in slow motions. After doing it once she did it again just to be certain. Her finger lingered on the down movement as something caught her eyes, but she dismissed it as nothing, then moved her finger up. "And up." She whispered out, her attention keenly on her test.

When Isshin did not respond, she told him again. "Isshin, look up."

In a startled movement that was not helpful to her test he looked up and Inare had to repeat the down to up movement to see it a little better. Daichi was now making snickering sounds that Inare didn't register.

"There doesn't seem to be any problems with your eye responces." She reported, then leaning away from his face she let out a sigh. "The only thing that I can think of is that you must have hit your head and not realised it. An explosion of that size could have made you black out for a moment. There may also be some mild damage to your ears, which is why there is the ringing."

"I would not be such a good shinobi if I blacked out from a small bomb."

"That was not a small bomb." Inare returned sternly. "But I will take your word for it. Let me just talk with Ebisu. Maybe he has some ideas about the prolonged headaches."

Putting on a face of disappointment, Isshin lamented aloud. "Miss Medic, how could you not know what is wrong with me?"

Sending an annoyed look his was, Inare pattered off to get hold of Ebisu who looked like he was just finishing off with someone else. The old man didn't really have much interest in going over to see Isshin, but was willing to listen to her summary of his symptoms and the results of her examination.

"I've seen it a lot. Large scale explosions can leave a wide variety of after effects. Sleeplessness, reduced vision, loss of taste, hearing and memory. Sometimes its temporary, other times it can be permanent." His voice deepened and Inare got a sudden instinct that the permanent cases where maybe a little too frequent. "It has been called blast induced trauma. The idea being that a shock wave travels through the body into the brain causing damage."

"Repairable damage?"

"You could find out. Cut his head open and have a look. Although, you may have better chances if you wait for him to die." Inare returned a blank look at the elder medic, then with all seriousness asked him again if there was something that could be done.

"Lessen the symptoms. That's all there is to it. I don't know what goes on in the brain. And until some way of actually seeing that is created, no one will ever know. Don't forget where you Inare. You're here to patch people up to functional level. Not cure them of everything." His obvious patience with her now gone with his dismissing tone, he turned away and was now off to someone who obviously needing his attention more.

A disappointed sigh left her to make up for the restriction she put on herself on dwelling on thinking over his words too much.

Returning to Isshin, she offered to reduce the pain in his head. The man looked relieved, and she could offer nothing more than the suggestion of keeping himself well hydrated and maybe putting cool fruit or vegetable slices over his eyes to help with the discomfort there. To that he laughed, and Inare instantly saw the stupidity in her suggestion and flushed red in embarrassment.

As he rose, he patted her on the head as he slipped off the crate she had him sat on during her examination. With nothing more than a 'thank you' from Isshin and a 'goodbye' from both him and Daichi, the two men went off elsewhere in a friendly matter.

Daichi with an arm flung over Isshin shoulders as the two of them left, Isshin looking decidedly annoyed at whatever the older man was wickedly whispering do at him.

Deciding to not let her general lack of usefulness to Isshin bother her, Inare went back to other shinobi with her follow-up care, now being extremely conscious how the amount of chakra that she was using. Her reserves needed to be high.

It was well into the night when things began to calm down. The night watch was put, and people had wandered off to sleep. Carts where loaded to be send off to the next camp that was apparently a four day journey away and the Uchiha where re-joining a larger company of their clan.

While she knew it was a huge risk, and in reality asking might get her the response she sought, something that nagged her from the start made her decided this course of action was the best to follow.

The carts would not head off till the first light in the early morning, till then she had a good few hours to gather what she could and make the best use of her time. As much as she was exhausted from the entire day and most of the night cleaning, wrapping, unwrapping, re-cleaning wounds she knew rest could come another day.

One more day and the she could rest.

* * *

The birds were active when the cart rolled off pulled by two large oxen that she had seen been strapped on to the cart. While the cart had been unmanaged earlier that morning, Inare had snuck into the cart with all the stealth that she could manage and hid herself under the tarp between two crates where there was a small gap.

Her heart raged inside of her as the cart began to move onwards, carrying all the medical supplies out of the encampment and towards the next one. Despite the relatively cool spring morning, Inare was drenched in sweat from the anxiousness that had built up in her during the wait over the night.

The frustration was knowing that the only cart that she could have unquestionable access to was the medical one, seeing as that was also the carts that would likely receive the most protection from the following escort.

She would have to wait till they arrived somewhere dense, like forest. Where her jumping off would not be so noticeable. Even then she knew this was a long shot. Not for the first time in so many hours Inare berated herself for not having just asked to leave.

You never know, the Uchiha could have turned out to be very pleasant and kind people that would just say: 'Lovely having you. Come back any time!'

She blanched at the thought of Madara saying that. That man was an enigma, she could never really understand what his goal was in this war, especially when his clan was visibly being pushed back by another clan. At least that was the impression she had been getting from the high number of casualties they had been getting the past few days.

Still, her mind lingered to their small encounter behind the medics tent. She didn't want to fool herself into thinking that man was capable of such tender emotions, he was a professional killer after all, but the care he demonstrated to his people was hard to miss.

In a strange little way, Inare felt like she understood him a little more after that encounter. Nowhere near enough for her to try justifying his position as a Clan leader and the war that he was raging, but enough to know that he cared about something.

They must have just been exiting the entrance when the cart was brought to an abrupt stop. Objects went sliding forwards as the cart dipped and Inare was swashed uncomfortably between the two large crates. She wheezed out as silently as she could and prayed that no one had heard her gasp.

Her whole body on edge as she heard someone the shout of. "Inspection."

The cart driver sounded annoyed. "Hurry it up already. I'm already getting off to a late start."

"Shut it." Someone snapped. "We'll take our damn time. It's my neck on the line if something ends up left behind."

Her whole body was alive as Inare internally smacked herself for having overlooked the possibility of actually there being an inspection. Her mind reeled at any possible thing that she could do get into or put over her to hide from the inspector when they likely pulled the tarp off.

The sad realisation when her brain turned up with noting made her resist a sob. There were only four crates here. No straw, no bags no nothing that she could hide into. Shuffling out from between the crates, the only plan that did come to her head was laughable. But it was better than just smiling up to the inspector going 'whoops'.

Well… only marginally better.

The tarp was pulled straight off the cart in one impressive swoop. The sudden light would have blinded Inare, except her eyes were closed as she lay deathly still.

"What the…" she heard, and her shoulders shifted a little as if to find a more comfortable spot.

"Oi…" someone prodded her. "What are you doing here?"

Lethargically her eyes blinked once and then squinted as her eyes did actually struggled to adjust to the light. She was prodded again, a lot more harshly, and she groaned in discomfort.

Inare gave a big yawn as she scratched her head. "Is it morning already?" She yawned out, forcing a fake morning grogginess into her voice.

At the opening of the cart, the Uchiha shinobi looked a little shocked, and clearly did not know what to do with her. "What the hell are you doing here?" He snarled out. Obviously having decided anger was a better outlet than confusion. A second man joined him with his confused anger, probably the cart driver.

"Sleeping?" Inare offered. The response was not favourable, and so she then added a forced smile to try win over her audience.

* * *

"That was a tough crowd." Inare grumbled to herself as she sat on the floor, thoroughly tied up with likely a mile of rope. Her hands behind her back, feet too tied up, and then because they couldn't decide what to do with the rest of the rope, they just then decided to tie her arms to her body and wrap the damn thing around her half a dozen times.

The tent was bare. Nothing but a packed rucksack and a large ornate war fan leaning against the central pole that held up the tent. The fan was likely nearly her height but definitely wider than her. It was a deep brown with a black border and at the very top were mirrored tomoe's.

A long chain attached to the end connected the war fan to a kama.

If enough attention was paid to it, around the edges dents could be seen to the weapon, suggesting that it was likely occasionally used like a mace despite its size and obvious weight.

Inare resisted a shudder at the thought of the blunt force trauma that weapon could inflict on a body.

A sound of moving material behind her indicated that someone had just entered the tent. Despite the need to look, Inare couldn't due to the restraints. Her back stiffened uncomfortably.

Madara had showed up a little over twenty minutes since she had been unceremoniously dumped in the tent, looking tired and not too pleased. Despite there being a little under a thousand of shinobi in the camp, he undoubtedly recognised her. Her dulled coppery hair and olive skin was a startling contract to the dark tones and pale complexions that the Uchiha's bore.

"What were you doing in the cart?" Obviously deciding that he wasn't going to drag this out for any length of time.

"Sleeping," let it not be said that Inare did not make any half arsed attempted here. Only stupid ones, but at least she was sticking to her story.

He sighed out slowly, and was silence for a long time as she appeared to be nursing a headache. Or a hangover, she didn't know what this man got up to on his quiet nights in. Although, was there ever really a quiet night in at an encampment? Probably not.

"Cut the crap Medic." He grumbled out, as he sat down on a stool, leaning forward and nesting his elbows on his knees. "Do you realise the position you have put yourself in here?"

"Position?" Inare gave him a curious look, before she looked down at her severely bound form. "The submissive one?" She offered with a quick wiggled of her brows, before feeling the need to further add on, "Which, let me tell you, isn't really how I roll."

Not looking too impressed with her attempts at humour, Madara sighed out as he rose from the stool.

He pulled out a knife then crouched down and began cutting away at all the rope. Quickly discovering that the workmanship of the job was very creative. "The hell," he mumbled as he held up all the rope, "why would anyone…" he drifted off with a quiet shake of his head.

"They were pretty keen," Inare informed him with a nod towards the rope.

"Clearly," once he had cut away the last of the rope, he remained crouched in front of her, seeming very much at ease, as if he could hold that very position for hours. "There is a fear that you are a spy."

Inare gulped down, "that's ridiculous."

"That what I told them," Inare felt her hopes sore that the clan head had her side. "That no spy would let themselves be caught alive attempting such a feeble escape."

"It seemed a lot better in my head," Inare confessed, feeling the tiniest bit flushed at the admittance.

"Don't doubt it. We inspect all medical goods leaving every encampment. One of Ebisu's many pet hates is showing up to a new encampment with all his stuff mixed in with the others. Something you have not hung around long enough to hear about."

"Did it show?"

"Your attempts at being funny are really not helping you here," he mumbled darkly, and Inare quickly decided that she should probably stop trying to get one up on him. If that was actually what she was achieving. "What was your name again?"

"I don't think I ever shared it to begin with."

"Your right, you didn't. So tell me now."

Inare pressed her lips tightly together realising that she had only been known as the medic to him. Probably the foreign medic at that. She found it hard to believe that this man, who now likely thought of her as a spy, and even suspected it at the start, had not learned her name.

"Inare," she grumbled out unhappily.

Nodding. Madara repeated again. "What were you doing, Inare?" Adding a sweet smile. She wanted to gag at his attempt at being friendly. He was likely looking for a reason to kill her, and that he was putting on airs of befriending her sickened her.

"Before I say anything," Inare began, resisting the urge to sneer while speaking as sincerely as she could, meeting his eyes to try prove that fact. "I just want to let it be known, that I plan on living a long and fulfilling life. So bearing that in mind, can you really blame me for leaving? I assumed that I was free to leave whenever I pleased and was given no indication otherwise."

"Attempting to sneak away puts you in a very bad light." He held her gaze with a self-reassurance that she had never possessed and it disarmed her completely. She looked away.

"I don't need you to tell me that. You probably would not have let me leave freely after having seen your clans ins and outs."

Madara shrugged. "Probably would have. You really can't know that much, especially after today when we completely leave this place."

Inare felt stupid all of the sudden. Realising that was a very valid point, she meekly asked "You'll let me leave?"

Madara laughed, in a too happy sort of way. "Well, maybe a couple of hours ago. Never said that's what would be happening now."

"You have no right to deny my leaving," she loudly professed, feeling that she was entirely right there, "I neither belong to your clan, nor am I your prisoner." She spoke the words fluidly, having been practising them now for a few days.

"Valid point," till now he had seem absent minded and almost relaxed in his dealing with her. That changed in a frightening second that left Inare reeling at the speed to which his whole persona could change. "However, you have now presented yourself as a potential risk to my clan."

The tent suddenly felt a lot darker. A lot harder to breathe in.

Inare cowered, dropping her head and curling her body downwards towards the ground. It felt like the room had suddenly been sucked in all its air.

"Look at me Inare." Hi voice sounded loud, loud enough to echo off her ears.

She felt as if her whole breath had vanished and her eyes snapped up unwillingly all of the sudden. Red swirling eyes met her and in fright she clamped her eyes shut. "Look at me Inare." His voice almost sang and her eyes clenched tighter in response. "Never mind," his voice was faint, almost a whisper of the air "it's too late anyway."

It wasn't her imagination, the room was suffocating her. Her eyes opened quickly as she felt as if her lungs were being crushed inwards. The red tent sides had become black. The only other colour was the vivid red outline of his body.

Trembling, she tried to stand, move away from him, this tent, this clan. This… this everything.

When her legs failed to respond she internally screamed at them to move. The colours became interchangeable, the backdrop suddenly bleed a dark red and the shape that was no longer a person in her head, became back.

With weak arms she managed to drag her body backwards, unable to understand what had happened to her legs.

A distant voice made her whimper when its sinister words whispered into her ears. Her skin was crawling and she closed her eyes.

Look at me Inare. Its taunting words dragged out more fear from her that she had ever felt and she screamed again, this time telling it "Leave me alone!"

Tears stained her face dropping to the ground in large red drops, leaving her aware that she was crying blood. With shaking hands to touched she cheeks to come away with hot blood that poured freely from her eyes and nose.

Soon she felt liquid warmth dripping down from her ears, as it began running out and down onto her neck, slipping beneath her clothes.

Unnatural panic took over as she tried to move wherever she could, but now it would seem her paralysis only grew from her legs upwards. Till she could not move her arms or her face.

She slumped to the ground in a crying heap, sobbing head. Hot blood lapped against her face, feeling like it was boiling half of it off from her head and she gave up on screaming, realising that she had been doing so for some time now.

Instead she sobbed silently until the voices that continued to whispered to her stopped and ebbed away.

Only three words continued to torture her… me everything. Tell me everything. Tell me everything.

So she did. Words flew from her lips uncontrollably, as she wept her most secretive thoughts, most personal feelings. Names of people she knew, her master, her friends. All dead.

For what seemed like a lifetime she talked as she watched her red blood now create a river that flowed rapidly in the black terrain that was flat and motionless. Choking back on being sick, Inare could feel something tell her it wasn't right.

None of it was right.

"Stop it." She mumbled. But her mouth went straight back into telling everything she had kept to herself as the voice reassuringly mumbled to her Tell me everything. No one was meant to hear this, not ever her. So why was she speaking now?

"It's not real." Inare gasped. Words that she could faintly remember from someone. Someone she admired. Focus on what is real.

She bit her lip. Hard. Blood filled her mouth and a sting erupted from her lips.

Her head felt light, but clear and she suddenly saw passed this black and red world to a flash of brown and green and grey. With force that she didn't know she had, she raised her head and smashed it down onto the ground. "It's not real." She sobbed.

Some success, she wasn't speaking anymore, her mouth remained closed with the blood still there, dripping out of her mouth, eyes nose and ears.

Pain flared through her skull and once again she saw a flash of what had to be real. It had to be, because that reality did not make her want to speak. That reality did not scare her so much. Again she crashed her head to the ground and like a ripple effect the world seemed to collapse around her.

"This is interesting." Inare faintly heard Madara mumble, but over the roaring sound of her heart thumping in her ears he could have said "It's sickening." to which Inare would have fully agreed to.

Her brain felt light and at the same time heavy, pained. Diseased.

He was sickening. The violation of her most sacred thoughts and feelings suddenly to be cracked open and exposed to blinding lights. Blood dribbled out of her mouth and she could feel where she had bitten through on the inside of her mouth. A heavy headache was beginning to make its way through her skull.

Inare caught sight of a thin smile on his face. He looked impressed.

Anger flared at the suspicion, the knowledge, that he was somehow responsible. She spat, and red splattered across his face.

His face morphed into a frown, and then with a sudden thump of pain, she returned to the darkness.

* * *

Her hand was chained to the side of a carriage she had been placed in. This one held goats. One goat in particular had decided that her hair was a tasty snack and had been cheerfully munching through it till a particular tug brought her to.

Waking with a yelp, Inare managed to kick away the goat as she put her back to the side of the carriage. They were being pulled along by two large ox's and a heavily armed shinobi was at the front driving it.

Her head felt abused. Incredibly sore as if she had been smacked against the flood or something, while her bottom lip was swollen and tender. Feeling like she had been put through hell, Inare slowly began to remember the minutes leading up to her untimely sleep.

With a pained groan, Inare cast her eyes around the road that they were travelling along. The Uchiha shinobi had clearly packed up camp and were now moving to the next spot. Where that was, she didn't know. How long she would be kept on this cart, she also didn't know.

She sighed out, because if she didn't she would have begun ranting and raving about how unfair she had been treated. And Madara had pointed out her brattish behaviours enough times that she did not want to give him more justification in seeing her as childish.

Her mouth was parched, so she leaned forwards while simultaneously having to push aside the goat that had become a little too friendly with her hair. "Excuse me!" She called forward to the man. "Do you have any water?"

The cart continued to move forwards, bumping every now and then gently as it passed over the uneven ground. All the while the driver gracefully ignored her.

She wasn't going to try again. She could already see what was going on here.

It would seem that she had not got off as easily as she thought she might from her failed escape attempt. She had only hoped that her escape attempt had been so pathetic, that the humour would have erased all suspicion from her.

Not that she was even worth of any suspicion.

Behind her cart there was another, with four walking men between the two carts. They all seemed to be chatting freely with each other as they walked leisurely with the pace of the ox. Inare thought about trying them for water, but thought better of it after one of them gave her a particularly dirty look.

With a huff, Inare settled back with her goat friends and remained quiet for the journey. At some point the cart driver must have felt a little shred of sympathy for her as he quickly hopped into the back of the cart and fed her water through his canteen. She thanked him but he said nothing but returned to his seat, guiding the ox that had veered slightly off course during the exchange.

It was the only shred of kindness that she got for the next few hours. Managing on just a mouthful of water for an entire day was rough. But Inare was fortunate enough to have survived worse.

This cart driver that also doubled as shinobi unchained her from the cart at one point and helped her down before chaining her to the base of a tree where the shinobi had set up camp for the night. Prisoned with all the goat.

She'd begun naming them, because left to her own thoughts she would have likely slipped into a deep anger that was not really called for.

With the goats, she had a little fun.

"Bix. You can't go stealing Gills patch of grass." She groaned, drawn out as she scolded the goats. Borderline depressed for anyone paying attention to her.

Gills reaction was quick as it bit Bix in a sharp reaction to fend the greedy goat off. "See there now. Gills' gone ahead and bit you on the nose. I warned you. Didn't I? Look at you now Bix. Your gonna be shunned from the herd for being a grass stealer aren't you? No one likes a grass stealer. Your gonna be over there with Billy no-mates." She spared a look at the far off goat that never seemed to interact much with the other. "Aint that right my Billy?" She called over to the grey and white dirty little horned and bearded creature. It gave her a long stare. A deep stare.

Inare felt that the silence of the goat spoke volumes. She didn't want to depth that their large black eyes could peer into the rece-

"Well now I see that this was a terrible idea."

Inare turned to face the speaker of the voice, her face when her eyes came in contact with Madara was not an attractive one. Her teeth clenched on instinct and she shifted in her seat. Her eyes settled over his till a whispering voice tormented her mind with a hushed "Look at me Inare" and her eyes whizzed are to settled on his nose and mouth.

"How have you liked your stay with us so far?"

"A cell is a cell. No matter the niceties that hide it's bars."

Madara laughed at that. "I wouldn't really call leaving you with the goats a nicety. Although it has done you a world of favours."

"Yeah. What would that be?"

"Definitely made you a little less of a stuck up bitch. You're a little bit more like your pal Billy no-mates." Her hard stare and his laugh did not settle anything. So he added. "That all said, I would be more than happy to put you in an actual cell to prove you wrong."

She snorted. "Because you are all about proving other people wrong aren't you?" What a great leader you're making yourself out to be. The words were on the tip of her tongue, but uttering them would have pushed him too far. Looking away, she bowed her head with tightly grit teeth. Inare chose to shut up for once.

"I do not wish to treat you like a prisoner. But as a guest of my clan."

"Correct me if I am wrong, but I have always been under the assumption that guests are free to leave when they wish."

"In that case, an overly privileged guest that never wants to leave."

"Yes, because I have been so overjoyed with your generous hospitality as of so far."

"You are angry. And you all ri-"

"Yes, I am angry!" She snarled, breathing heavily with the exertion of those few words. She composed herself briefly before continuing. "I have been mentally… violated to my most secret feelings and sacred memories, and you treat that as if it where nothing!"

"I do what I do for good of my clan. I would not expect you to understand. But know one thing, to determine whether you were a threat to my people, it had to be done. Now you are free of all suspicion and will be treated with fairness."

She laughed instead of getting further angry, because the stupidity of this entire situation had still not escaped her. "Let me repeat for those that are the hard of understanding. You violate my mind, and now you expect me to be happy because I won't be treated with suspicion. If you're looking for an incentive to hate your clan and want to bring about its complete downfall, I think you just handed it to me on a nice shiny plate."

Inare couldn't quite process what next happened till it was over and she was lying flat on her back, her head spinning from hard impact with the ground and a large heavy foot pushing down on her stomach.

Madara leaned in to her face. Not so close as to invade her personal bubble, but enough to want her to sink deeper into the ground to put some distance between the two of them. "Go ahead. Threaten my clan. Threaten me."

Eyes wide with alarm as the ice of his voice cut her clean. Inare said nothing.

Madara huffed a short laugh. "As if you could even do anything to begin with," a soft frown formed on his face. "At least that is what I would like to say. There is a lot you can do to harm my clan. But you will reserve your hatred directed to only me. Lash out at me, by all means, but if I hear that any one of my clan dies unnecessarily under your treatment. I will kill you."

Inare breathed out slowly. She nodded stiffly and the foot was lifted from her. A hand was held down to her. "Good." Sounding too pleased that is made Inare sick to the core. Inare debated internally for a few seconds whether she should even accept the extended arm.

Her own words came back to mildly taunt her. Plan on living a long and fulfilling life. Refusing him now would only lead her down the path of his ire and anger. Trembling fingers hesitantly reached out, but Madara's patience for her sudden timidity had an obvious limit and he snatched at her hand to pull her up.

Her chained arm pulled uncomfortably as the chain was too short to entirely accommodate her standing.

Hand still in his grip, Madara made a quick effort of undoing the chains that dropped to the ground with a thump. "Now," He began, her hand still captive to his, "I feel that we got off to a bad start."

"No," Inare near gushed. "It's been a wonderful start. A friendship in the blossoming."

"You have no idea how happy that makes me."

Inare did have the energy to keep up the sarcasm and her face dropped the faux smile to be replaced with a dull look. "I wouldn't needlessly harm anyone under my care. Although should you happen to be the person I might think twice about that."

Madara too had appeared to have had enough as the lightness that had only reached his eyes dropped. His eyes where very dark, a stark contract to the vibrant red eyes she had grown accustomed to associating with him. That must be the famous Uchiha Sharingan she'd heard about. "Wonderful then. For every escape attempt, I will cut off one of your limbs and thrown them to your goat friends here to eat. How is that for an incentive to love my clan?"

* * *

Lot of emotional and mental torture going on there. Two different approaches. Kinda wanted to make a parallel.


	6. Chapter 6

I don't own anything but OC's.

* * *

 **Chapter 6**

* * *

If it hadn't have been for the cleanness of the entry, Inare would have thought that he'd been mauled by a bear from the torn pants and amount of blood gushing from the ugly wound. The skin showed very little tearing and the bone jutting out would have to be straightened.

Oh he was in for a treat.

Looking up at the worried teammate of the injured boy she asked for the details. "It was a hunters trap." Turned out it was only a bear trap instead. Close enough she figured. Inare nodded and looked again the injury. The boy was quietly sobbing as his entire body shook with the pain.

"Okay. I'm going to have to straighten his leg out. Hold his shoulders."

Turning around to look for another pair of hands, she spotted a familiar face. "Oi, Isshin. Get over here." Inare yelled at the obliviously passing man.

He looked a little startled at seeing her then smiled as he trotted over. He did not seem to bothered at the sight of such a gaping wound with bone jutting out. Probably used to it like everyone else around here, well, given that it wasn't on their own leg.

"Inare! Just the person I was looking for. How are you on this fine day?"

"I am very well, yourself?"

"Do your fucking pleasantries later!" The injured youth yelled in pain, teeth clenching against themselves as he spat out further profanities.

"You're in no danger," Inare sternly hushed him when he looked as if he was about to begin shouting at her again, as she turned to Isshin. "Do you mind holding his hips down."

With a nod he did so diligently. She liked Isshin for that, he was always happy to help, even with the most unusual of request.

"Everyone holding on tight?" She got two nods, one of them a little uncertain, but no time for that! "Good, so on three." Inare had an arm wrapped around the leg and the other crossing over to tightly grip the arch of his foot. "And a one." With an unfaltering pull, she straightened out the leg till the bone snapped back into place. The boy howled loudly in surprise and Inare gave him a pleased look. "What happened to three?" He wailed, pale face and looking very stricken with the whole experience.

"Real shinobi don't need number like two and tree." Inare reasoned as she wiped her hands on her apron. Feeling the oily material, Inare reminded herself that the apron was well overdue a wash.

"I am very well Inare. To answer your previous question." The boy had fainted and Inare turned to Isshin. "Good to hear." She responded joyfully, as her chakra lit up a hand she began healing the damaged muscle. To completely heal the muscle and tissue would take too much chakra so she would use stitches. That would teach the boy to be careful where he treaded.

Much to the moderate disgust of her patients teammate, Isshin and Inare chatted away while she healed the boy and then began stitching him up.

Isshin was particularly helpful when it came to setting a splint for the boy.

"Haven't seen you around for the last few days. Where have you been?"

"Got sent off somewhere to deliver messages to a lord." He responded while holding the two splints either side of the boy while she wrapped the old stained rags of cloth around the makeshift splint to secure it in place.

"Ah, so you're a messenger boy now."

"A glorified one. It was a very important message I'll have you know."

"Good to hear your talents aren't being wasted," turning to her patient's teammates. "Tell him when he wakes up that I can begin healing the bone over two or three sessions, but it depends on how much chakra I have at the end of the day. So he will have to be off his foot for a at least a month then slowly working to rebuild his strength again." The teammate nodded then looked down to his injured teammate.

"What do I do with him till then?"

"Well put him somewhere. I have more people to see and I need this space." Inare sternly told the boy. The place was crowded as it was, and having these two crates next to each other created a sort of bed. Especially useful when she had to operate.

The poor teammate looked horrified that he had to move the unconscious shinobi. "But… I don't know what to do with him. Can't you look after him?"

"I could, but I don't have time to. His life isn't in danger. He just needs rest. Now get him out of here. I need the space."

"Miss Medic, please." The boy whines. And Inare looked to Isshin to try and help her get the kid moving, but the man just looked away. Inare wanted to grumble at his lack of aid, she knew it was her problem but that didn't negate the niceness of his help.

Looking back at the pitiful face of the adolescent, Inare sighed out. "Fine. He can stay here for a few hours, but I want him out by dark. You can come back if he has any problems after that." She responded with a dismissive wave at the vanishing boy.

"That bastard ain't coming back," Inare scoffed.

Turning away, she heard Isshin quietly laugh as Inare went over to see who else was in immediate need of help. There was nothing too bloody, looked like another dislocated shoulder, a head wound, a minor stab wound to the hip and something that looked like a tree branch sticking out of someone's arm.

Curiosity made her go for that person first. It took her a moment to find somewhere where she could actually treat him seeing as her favourite spot was taken, so she took him away from the open tent and found another crate to sit him on.

The child was so small that she unconsciously picked him up to place him on the crate, he was so small that she crouched down to take a look at the wound.

It was indeed a tree branch. Inare and Isshin, who still stuck around, both leaned into it with curiosity making interested sounds.

"Looks like you got some gardening ahead of you there Inare, weeding can always be a challenge when the roots are deep set. You have to pull really hard." Isshin commented, and her patient, a boy of maybe eight or younger, looked a little panicked.

"I dunno. We could just trim the top. It'd be quite ascetic."

"You don't mean to leave it in him?" Isshin gasped, his faux concern now sending the boy into a stuttering flapping session where he began desperately telling them how bad it would be for him to have the branch sticking out of him forever. Even so far as to comment on how bad he was at gardening and always forgetting to water plants.

Inare pretended to listen for a few moments with a sly grin on her face, but then decided that the teasing had gone a little far when she saw the evidence of fresh tears. "Don't worry. I'll get it out for you." With a pat on the head, she began seeing how she could go about extracting the branch.

Idly she did wonder if the branch would grow there, when the boy retracted his arm and demanded to be treated by someone else Inare realised that she had actually pondered that aloud.

Isshin was laughing loudly and Inare now smacked the kid head and pulled the branch right out to both their surprise. He cried and blubbered when he saw all the blood gushing out of his shoulder, and then Inare felt a little bad and healed it all up till nothing but a faint outline of where the branch had been.

The boy, elevated at his newly healed arm jumped off the crate with a thanks and made to go but Isshin stopped him. "Hey pal, don't you want your other half?" Pointing down to branch in Inare's hands, who waved it with an innocent smile.

Looking distraught, the boy just ran off.

Inare playfully hit Isshin with the branch releasing a feminine bark of laughter before dropping the branch to the ground.

"When do you think you'll be finished with all that?" His head nodding towards the tent where the rest where all sitting waiting for their turn with a medic.

"Maybe an hour or so."

"Good." Isshin decided. "Daichi managed to get his hands on a bunch of cakes from some old lady that fancied him. Made his day so he wanted to share it with some people. He said he would give you a whole pie if you stripped for Jian's drawings, but I managed to persuade him otherwise."

"Oh, did you? Should I be grateful for that?"

"Of course! Head over to near the armoury, that's where my teams camped out at the moment."

"Well, I don't think I am capable of refusing the offer of free foo," she responded with a grin before she dragged herself back over to the tent for the next hour and a half healing, bandaging, stitching and checking back up on her bear trap kid who was still out of this world.

After washing her hands clean, which always took a long time given the permanence of blood living under her nails that she just about managed to get out, she did one more check up on the kid to see if he had woken up.

It was now getting dark and Inare once again doubted her bear trap victims teammate would be back to grab him so she threw over him a blanket just to make sure he didn't get cold in the night. At one point she thought that he might roll over in his sleep and fall over the makeshift crate bed, which as pretty high up, but then decided that she didn't care enough to actually do something about it.

She headed over to the armoury slowly, getting halfway only to realise that she did not really want to go and socialise with Isshin's team. Sure from the small amount of interaction that they had shared she knew that they were pleasant and fun people, but then her circumstances always seemed to come back to take a vice like grip over her stomach stopping her from wanting to like some of the Uchiha shinobi.

She was not deaf. Inare heard what the Uchiha would whisper about her behind her back.

They had a severe xenophobia that she was not unfamiliar with. If anything she was more understanding of that fear. Clans back in lightning had suffered in the past from having taken in travellers into their territories and encampments to discover they were spy's or even just trouble makers.

It had been the downfall for the Chichiou clan in Lightning. The fall that left her taking a near deadly journey across the continent.

A similar situation could leave all these shinobi in the same situation as she was. a displaced group fleeing the territory to save their own lives looking for a new home or someone to take the slightest bit of pity on them.

Although, Inare did not think she had ever seen such a large and well established clan before like the Uchiha, so she imagine that it would take a lot.

Still, the thought did spike her curiosity. She knew nothing about the region that she was in, and still hoping that one day she may choose, freely, to leave the Uchiha clan, Inare needed to know more about the situation of this land, where she may go at some point in her life in this war torn land.

* * *

Behind the armoury she found all four of Isshin's team sitting around a small fire, eating their supper and beginning with alcohol. Inare got a little excited at the sight of a number of the gourd filled booze, it had been a while since she last had any.

She never did taken Jian up on his offer of booze in exchange for her stripping for him, Inare liked to think that she did have some level of decorum.

"Hi everyone," she greeted a little nervously. Isshin and Toke she knew both relatively well, the two of them occasionally stopping to chat with her about her day. Which tended to be the worst kind of conversations as they were always grim and started with either a lot of bodily fluids over her or someone dying.

Jian was usually too quiet to anyone but his teammates, and so never actively chose to strike up a conversation.

Unsurprisingly Daichi was the first to greet her.

Daichi she did not know too well, but he was one of those people that very much liked to impose himself in everyone's lives, so he already thought that they were great buds. A trait that Inare really did not have much endurance towards.

At the same time, Inare never really had it in her to tell him otherwise.

She sat down and was handed three sweet buns that looked delicious, and she slowly began picking at them. The burst of sugar and vanilla was too much and she wanted to groan aloud but could not conjured the words to describe how delicious they were. Inare could not remember the last time she had eaten something sweet.

She did not want it to end, so she slowed down on consuming them.

Daichi tended to take over most conversations, driving it full force to usually… no always, be about himself.

Inare ignore most of it, having begun a chat with Toke about foot care. Not the most engaging conversation, but Toke claimed that Jian and Isshin had the most awful foot problems and he wanted to help.

Inare found in endearing, and after a couple of mouthfuls of alcohol warmed up her insides, she offered to sneak him out some extra bandaged and make him some salved to help them out.

Eventually Inare's chance to weave the information she wanted out of them came. They had begun talking about their movements over the next few months. Inare chose to use innocent curiosity that she thought she could pull off perfectly.

"So your previous encampment moved to regroup with this one. Why is that?"

"This company split up a couple of months ago to reclaim some territory when two different clans where imposing themselves over them. We're regrouping now as its pushing late in the summer season."

"I take it there are more than just this company. You are pretty steadily supplied and well equipped. It was never like this back in Lightning."

"More or less." Isshin muttered, while Daichi gave him a reassuring pat.

Inare didn't question further, as Daichi stepped in to begin explaining.

"We are here," he drew one circle in the dry ground. "And there are five other major companies that circle the centre of our main territory." He drew on those five other encampments and in the centre drew a large rectangle. "This is the centre of our clans historic lands. We've been here for hundreds of years."

"That's home?"

"Not really. A lot of folk here will have never seen it. And never will, it's… well, when you die, and if your body is successfully recovered, its where you return to. The catacomb there are huge and have been reserved for everyone that ever died on the field fighting for the clan."

Inare supressed a shiver at the thought of how large that catacomb must be, while the morbidly curious part of her wanted to know exactly how many people were buried there.

"Problem is now that we are being pushed back bit by bit. We get attacked on our entire eastern front by the Senju. On the west there are occasional attacks by the sand clans and in the south by some random mixture of clans. The North, South and West we can hold well enough, but the East is what pulls all our resources."

"Supply lines always run eastwards," Isshin now contributed, adding to Daichi's drawing by adding arrows to where he had obviously decided was east on Daichi's makeshift map.

"Being stationed anywhere but the east is pretty much a vacation," Toke mumbled through a mouthful of food.

"Not for long though," Isshin commented to the boy, patting him on the head.

Daichi nodded grimly. "Our reinforcements come from those directions means leaving their encampments undermanned half the time. Weakens our position on those fronts."

"So the Uchiha clan is in a pretty rough state?"

"Last few years has been tough on all the clans I'd imagine." Isshin leaned forward to mess up the drawing that he had just done of the Uchiha bases. "Last two harvests where poor, rice and grain reserves will run out by next fall if we don't get a good harvest this spring. Moral is down on all sides and three hundred years of war is finally dragging people down."

"Only three hundred years?" Asked, her brows rising with a small grin.

Isshin snorted, drinking from the bottle and moving onto his last sweet bun. "But fall will probably see a shift."

"Because?" Inare now realising that she had been asking a lot of question and his silence made her fear that he was going to stop there and answer no more. In the end it turned out she was waiting for Isshin to finish his mouthful before he spoke again.

"Winter and spring months see a serious decrease in all territorial advancements. It's a time for digging in for the cold, and when spring arrives it's harvest time. No one can afford to overlook that."

"So where does the clan hold up for the winter and early spring?"

"Depends on which station you're at. In the west and south they head to Sora-ku. It's some monstrous city from god knows what civilisation on the edge of the lands with the desert. There are huge munitions stores there." Daichi again. His hands all over the place as he tried to describe how enormous the place was.

"In the north its some place in the Naka region." Isshin continued when Daichi showed no evidence of finishing with his description. "Don't know much about that place, never been stationed there. You Daichi?"

"Nope."

"And we go to Hideout." Toke now butted in, sounding excited at the prospect.

"The hideout?" Inare parroted back, finding the name a little silly.

"If it had a name it was forgotten hundreds of years ago. The place was originally abandoned ninety of so years ago when the desert folk managed to take over the territory."

"But we pushed them back over twenty years ago and reclaimed the region and more." Toke piped up for a second time.

"But the foundations of the fortress where damaged in the conflict and now it's not so structurally sound. So none of the civilians can live there, but we can. Despite the damage and the loads of cave-ins that have happened, its warm and pretty well disguised in the snow." Daichi spoke with a mouth full of sake and cake. With his shoulder length hair loose, he ended up with a mouthful of his hair in the mix too.

"What's the fortress like?"

"It's huge. Like layered terraces covered in forest. If your still alive come winter, you'll get to see it." Daichi too sounded excited at the prospect of being in 'hideout' that Inare began to hope that she did survive till the winter to see it.

It hadn't entirely occurred to her that the reason for all their excitement would likely be for the fact that they would be able to spent the next four to five months not having to deal with their friends dying on a near weekly basis or being at risk of joining them.

"Should we really be telling her this stuff?" Jian finally spoke, not even looking up from his notebook where he was doodling away. "No offence Miss Inare, but you are an outsider."

Inare force a weak smile that he would not have seen from behind his notebook. "I don't take offence to it."

"Jian's just a stuck up prissy that doesn't like doing fun stuff, and that he's never been to Hideout before." Daichi intervened. Leaning over to pull Jian's book out of his hand and have look at it. "He's also doing a really good job at using his imagination." Nodding appraisingly at whatever Jian had been drawing. Leaning over towards Toke, who was happily munching on the last cake bun that he had swiped while no one was looking, Daichi showed him the drawings. "You can always get the bodies perfectly, but then the faces look so unlike the person that you can't tell who it is. But this time he got it perfectly."

Toke's eyes drifted up to Inare and back to the drawing before his face burst alive in red flames.

Daichi, ignoring all this, tossed the book back to Jian who caught it perfectly.

"Faces are a challenge for me."

"Your telling me. No one wanted your last one, it was more like a frog than a human face. I think that may be your best yet."

Jian showed no obvious reaction to the praise, only commenting that it was better when he could see the person closely, but did whine when Isshin snatched the book out of his hands and ripped a page out of it.

"Captain, not again. That's trade for all the sake that we're drinking."

Isshin glared daggers over at Daichi while darkly muttering. "You told me you had this stuff for days."

Daichi offered a lopsided grin that was probably in attempt to look innocent. "Days in planning…" he offered while Isshin looked increasingly more annoyed.

Scrunching up the paper into a ball he tossed it directly into the fire at the centre, both Jian and Daichi made to dive and grab it before the fires ate it up. Both burning their fingers in the process.

"Jian, I told you were not to draw women you know naked anymore." His tone low, not that it would make any difference. Inare was nowhere close to being ignorant to everything that had been happening and took the opportunity to drink what was left of the sake. Figuring that if her face was what was buying this sake, she was going to drink as much as possible.

"Captain. You did say that if I used my imagination I could draw whatever I wanted to."

"Then just make them faceless. Don't associated her with this. Who knows what people will think."

"But if their faceless then people won't have the same satisfaction from using them."

"I don't want to know about whatever satisfaction they are getting. New rule. Make them faceless!"

"Ah, so you want one too? I think I have perfected this one, I could draw it again for just you captain if you want."

"That's not what I said!" Isshin groaned aloud, visibly giving up on the boy. Slumping down to sit back down between Daichi and Toke.

All the while Inare just rolled her eyes and ignore the whole ordeal, feeling like it was just Isshin's teams standard dynamics.

"How are we going to pay for the sake!" Daichi had been quietly mourning since the drawing went up in flames. All of them where ignoring him.

By this point, Inare had shifted over to sit closer to Toke. Bless the boy, he couldn't look her in the face and Inare was suddenly curious at how Jian had drawn her to give the boy such a reaction. The two of them where now starting on the fifth bottle together while all the drama was still taking place.

Toke was very reserved when it came to drinking alcohol, which was all the better for her as she was happily guzzling it down.

At some point, Inare was cheerfully drunk. Daichi had stopped sulking and was now planning, in between occasionally begging Inare to let Jian draw her, other strategies to pay for the sake. Most of them involved selling off all his weapons and probably a shoe.

Jian was pouting and Isshin looked deflated. Toke was on the verge of nodding off and Inare suddenly felt a little guilty as she looked into the sixth bottle of sake which she had just emptied into her.

"I have an idea. And it will pay for all the sake you could possibly want."

She got a mixture of looks. Jian looked sullen, Isshin a little concerned and Daichi, ever the opportunist, looked a little stupid with his eyes gleaming at the thought of her agreeing to strip so Jian could draw her.

"I know, from reliable intel. That the women of your clan… they have a little thing for certain men." Any interest they had in what she was going to say dropped for second. "Now, you think that men are the only ones to buy smut? Women would love it!" Jian was now looking a little green at where her ideas where going. "In fact. I would buy one." A bit of a lie, she really did not have that much interest. She was too tired half to time, and the other half mildly concerned for her life, to even bother.

"I don't want to draw naked men." Jian huffed. Looking away with a pout.

Inare sniggered. "You only have to draw two. And they will sell out faster than that flue spread two weeks ago." The simile was out of her mouth before she realised that it didn't quire follow through, but no one called her up on it so she just smiled anyway.

Daichi now seemed a little inflated. "Come on Jian. We've known each other for years. I think you could draw me in the nip. It'll be fun"

Jian looked less than pleased.

"Sorry Daichi. You're not one of them."

"Hu?"

"If you can managed to get naked drawings of your two clan heads. Every woman in this camp would trade something for it. Which I think you could get enough trade to trade in for all the alcohol you acquired… and more. A lot more."

Isshin was grinning ear to ear nodding slowly. "That's a pretty good idea."

"I don't think so," Jian butted in.

"Well… I think you women are really limiting yourself here if you think that those two are the only eligible men in this encampment," Daichi huffed, "but, I can see the gap in the market."

"I am not doing it." Since everyone seemed to be ignoring him he punctuated each word harshly.

"Sure you are. Especially if you don't want the cook banning us from any food for a month for not filling our end of the deal."

"The cook wanted a drawing of me?" Inare quietly asked herself but it went unheard, and Inare suddenly had the through that maybe if she was extra nice to him, she might get extra portions. "When do you need to trade in the image?" Inare inquired, curious if it would even work. It would be her sly revenge against that man Madara.

"Tomorrow, or the day after at the latest." Daichi informed her grimly.

"That's a tight schedule."

"Jian's a quick drawer," he grinned back and Inare found herself joining him.

"I won't." His refusal was adorable.

Isshin, who had been quiet this entire time, suddenly laughed softly to himself, a hand covering his eyes as it tilted backwards. Everyone stopped talking to listen to what he was going to say. "I think I know how we can do it too." Now he had everyone's keen intention.

"It's really bad." Isshin confessed as he looked down to his lap.

"Go on," Inare urged him leaning in, the movement felt unnaturally slow leaving her blatantly aware of how much she had drank.

"I think I know when and where he bathes."

Inare gasped, feeling that Isshin had just said something scandalous. Daichi joined her with the gasp and Inare for a second felt like the two of them had shared a sort of bonding moment.

Jian once again commented at how he wasn't going to do it, but at the same time Inare got the impression that he knew if he didn't want to be on the cooks blacklist he had to do something.

"How? Why? Where?" Inare tried to keep the curiosity out of the last part, but she needed to know.

"I am captain you know. Our encampments only has six, so… I have to make reports to him and such. Madara and I do know each other relatively well." The last part was more to convince them of this story he was going along with rather than because he liked that fact.

"Well enough to be taking baths together I'm guessing." Inare burst into laughter at Daichi's comment. The alcohol making it a lot harder to control it.

"Fuck off, Daichi," Isshin sneered. "No. It's more like a couple of times I had to deliver a message while he was bathing."

"Isshin. Please clean my back. It is soooo dirty." Daichi was obviously putting on his impression of Madara and Inare now hunched over grasping her chest as the strength of her laughter.

"Daichi I'm telling you. Shut the fuck up or you're not going to hear the rest of the story. And you won't know where to go."

Daichi went quiet and after a stern look to Inare she stopped laughing abruptly.

"A couple of times I had to deliver a message," he paused to look at Inare when a small bubble of laughter erupted from her briefly. She sheepishly smiled for him to continue, "a message while he was bathing. He was at the same place each time and at around the same time."

Inare was laughing again, it wasn't even funny but she was laughing. Isshin was sending her spine chilling looks but she laughed on.

"How did he respond?" Inare managed to gasp out between her fits of laughter.

Isshin didn't respond and Daichi and Inare began making up their own responses. Acting them out dramatically for Isshin. "Isshin, no! Don't look!" Inare gasped as she covered her imaginary crotch.

Daichi leaned forward to take hold of Inare and pull her into an embrace. "Madara… you… are beautiful. Don't hide yourself from me."

"Isshin, your making me blush." As she began to fan her face.

When Isshin stood up and made to whack the both of them, then they collapsed into laughter. Inare was sure she ever heard Jian join in with them for a moment before he went quiet.

"Joking aside. You know where to go?" Daichi finally asked with a hint of severity.

"Yeah, and I'm really thinking of not showing you and letting you all starve."

"I won't," Inare cheerfully gloated. Her wide grin was not well received by Jian and Daichi. "But since I appreciate you sharing. I will help! With that said. What are we waiting for?" Inare asked, jumping back to her feet and looking down at all the still seated shinobi. "Let's go."

"I'm with the girl. Let's go and get Lord Madara's junk on the..." Still working at something, he settled poorly on "paper."

"It was a good effort," Inare quietly reassured him.

Isshin sighed, wobblingly getting to his feet, eventually needing to help Daichi. "I am not going unarmed." Isshin declared as her moved in the direction of where all his stuff was. A first stumble was enough for Inare to reach out to steady him.

"Man. You are so not in a state to be walking around with weapons. You're going to hurt yourself." Inare told him, holding him in place so that he didn't go rooting around for his weapons in the dark.

"She's right you know. Leave this to the less of the drunk people."

"The less of the drunk people?" Both Isshin and Inare questioned.

"I think that be us." Daichi responded, looking suddenly confused too.

"Mate. Your all over the place." Inare told Daichi, while Isshin used the opportunity to slip away and get his weapons.

"Maybe we should just stay here and try it tomorrow." Jian. Likely the most sober of the four of them piped up. Inare looked around to see where Isshin had vanished too, but gave up on looking pretty quickly.

"No time. Now is time!" Daichi proclaimed.

"He's right Jian." Inare jumped over to him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. "We have to do this. Or you're going to starve. And take it from someone who has starved. It's not nice."

"Daichi, please get her off me." He dryly requested, looking decidedly uncomfortable with Inare pressed up against his back.

"Don't be a stiff Jian. That probably the only contact with a woman you ever going to get." Daichi had picked up an empty bottle and was seeing if there was any drops he could excavate from it.

Isshin on the other hand had just returned from wherever he had vanished to, armed to the teeth. Inare laughed and Jian was now making movements to shrug her off.

Releasing him, Inare moved away to go check on Toke who was well and truly out of it. She ended up stealing and finishing off the half eaten bun that was left in his hand.

Jian jumped off of his crate, and stumbled on the impact with the ground. Struggling to get himself steady. Inare hadn't realised he had even been drinking at all, but from how he struggled she was guessing that he had.

"Okay everyone. Let's huddle in." Daichi announced.

"I refuse." Both Jian and Isshin proclaimed, but it was no good as Inare and Daichi both took an arm each and pulled them into a forced huddle.

"So Isshin is leading the way on this expert edition." Inare announced.

"Expedition." Daichi corrected her.

Nodding at Daichi she pointed a finger at him and agreed with him. "One of those. So… we follow him. Jian does the drawing and we gets out. Before anyone knows."

"Sound plan." Daichi agreed.

"Shit plan." Isshin did not.

"I don't want to do this." Jian mumbled slowly, the alcohol probably now takings worse effect now that he was standing.

"Brilliant plan." Inare loudly proclaimed. Offended at Isshin's dismissal. She felt herself sway a bit and her grip on Isshin and Jian tightened to help keep her grounded.

"Wouldn't go that far." Daichi commented and Inare glared at him in return.

"Brilliant plan!" Inare repeated. Feeling that if she just kept repeating it someone was bound to agree with her eventually. "And you said so."

"I said sound plan, not brilliant."

"Ah, you did. Apologies about that."

"No harm done."

"So everyone agrees with this."

An affirmative resonated through the group. Most of it a little reluctant.

"So you now all agree it's a brilliant plan."

"No." Isshin groaned, while Diachi looked annoyed. "That was pathetic Inare."

"I know. I had to try." She tried sheepish, that look usually got her out of the worst trouble. "So are we doing this?"

The sound of someone clearing their throat resonated behind them and they all looked up from their strategic huddle.

An uncertain pause followed. It would have been awkward if any of them where in the state to recognise the horrible position they were all in.

Inare, unfortunately, was the first to speak with little thought to censoring herself.

"Ah Jian! Look it's him! Draw him now! Draw him."

"But, he's not naked." His slow and quiet voice was too slow for Inare's overexcited mind that she grabbed his shoulders and was now shaking him.

"Use your imagination!" Inare cried, and was still jumping up and down in excitement barely registering when someone big behind her, likely Daichi, was restraining her and covering her mouth. He had a large and unsuspecting smile on his face and looked to be playing sober.

"Heey," Daichi drew out.

"Sir." Isshin sounded tense from his stance next too Jian.

"Captain. To clarify. I can draw his body and face, but do I have to draw his junk or do I use my imagination?"

* * *

Inare woke up to her legs flung over Toke's torso and her face pressed into dirt. She groaned aloud as she pushed herself into a sitting position and rubbed her throbbing head.

Not wanting to risk opening her eyes, she cradled her head in her hands and curled up into a sitting ball, trying to come to terms with what was no doubt building up to be an awful hangover.

When she found the strength in her, she opened her eyes slowly. The sting of the bright morning near blinding her.

Looking around, she found that she was in a cell.

One of the cells that where kept at the back of the encampment under heavy guard and used to haul in prisoners of war.

She had only seen this place once, and to know that she would now be spending her hungover morning there made her feel queasy for a number of reasons that extended beyond the smell of stale urine and vomit.

"Morning sunshine." The gravelly spoken words where rough and Inare turned her attention to Daichi who had dark circles under his eyes.

"What happened?" She groaned, just the vibrations of her voice felt like a someone was hitting a hammer repetitively onto her skull.

"Thrown in the slammer."

"Where's Isshin and Jian."

"Isshin's being reprimanded. I suppose as a captain he is mean to behave better. Jian is in shit because his notebook contained drawings of a lot of other women."

"Fuck."

"Yup."

"Not good then."

"As far from good as you can get. We, my friend, are in shit central. But on the bright si-"

"There is no bright side, so don't you finish that sentence." Inare growled over to Daichi as she lifted her body around to face him.

"Wasn't going to be able to anyway," he muttered a little bashfully.

Inare laid back down, her legs still over Toke and not giving to shits about that. "I didn't think they would lock us up."

"We did break like… at least ten encampment rules."

"You have too many rules," she mumbled, arm resting over her eyes to block out as much sunlight that was streaming in through the open bar ceiling of the cell from penetrating through her eyelids.

An hour later found Daichi and Inare both leaning back to back because the cell walls were too uncomfortable, their conversation drawn out mumbles about how much shit they were in.

"I've decided," Inare grumbled aloud, as she shifted against Daichi's broad back to remove the stone digging into her rear. "I am never socialising with you again."

Daichi laughed. A weak and strained laugh that sounded pathetic. "Who's to say we want you drinking with us again? In all fairness, we wouldn't have been in this mess had it not been for your mad idea."

"You're not gonna grass on me are you?"

"Snitches get stiches." He responded with a wide grin that Inare felt herself mimicking.

"Good to hear."

They heard the sad sound of Toke whimpering as he woke up. Turning their attention to him as he hopelessly pulled himself into a sitting position.

"Wha-" He sounded more than spoke, taking as if his tongue was swollen. "Why," his head swivelled around quickly, "why, why are we locked up?"

Both Daichi and Inare started up a random conversation about food, neither of them wanting to admit to the confused boy that they were entirely responsible for him having to wake up in a cell.

They were left in the cell for well over four more hours before Isshin came and bailed both Daichi and Toke out. Inare had been near crying to Isshin to let her out. He seemed really distraught about it, but he did give her water and food to help her with the hangover.

After a flurry of apologies from Isshin, laughter from Daichi, sincere remorse from Toke and a dark look from Jian, Inare was left to rot in the cell for two more hours till someone came to take her someplace else.

She spent most of the time dozing, but after so many hours in the sunlight the skin on her cheeks and nose felt tight, likely burnt.

So when she was eventually hauled into Madara's tent, pushed into a seat opposite the man himself, who sometime last night Inare had been desperate to humiliate.

"So you wanted to have a picture of my junk?" He really jumped straight into it.

Clearing her throat nervously, Inare could not look at him. "Well… yours wasn't the only one." Choosing, correctly, at that moment not to mention the fact that they planned to get his brothers set of baby makers on paper too.

Although now in hindsight, also now on the spot to really think about it - as her night and most of her day imprisoned hadn't really inspired her to think over her actions - Inare realised that she really wouldn't want a picture just of someone's junk. She figured the body really would have been the selling point, the body and the face. Neither of which Jian needed to see close up while he was bathing to achieve.

Now that she really thought about it, she'd really fucked up.

"I don't know what game you are playing at, but it stops now."

"Really, there is no game. It was just drunken stupidity and me wanting to get back at you in some way."

"Get back at me?"

"Well, you have not exactly been a saint towards me," her bitter words where received with a disinterest that morphed into humour.

"If your idea of getting back at me is to sell nude drawings, that I think I can live with your idea of revenge."

Inare's eyes widened. "Really? Because, we really need to pay back for the sake we drank last night. So if you're willing, Jian is a really good drawer from what I've heard-"

"No, I am not stripping naked so he can draw me. Especially to pay back for contraband." His now stern tone shut her up abruptly.

"That's fine. Perfectly fine. Understandable, I wouldn't personally do it myself."

"But you are perfectly okay with doing it to someone unaware?"

"Err- n-n-no! Absolutely not." How has this all turned onto me? Inare wanted to wail aloud. Daichi and Jian are the true culprits here. "Drunk me may have been okay with it, but that was because I was still a little bitter about things with you. You mentally violated me and threatened to feed me to goats." That second part was now sounding trivial even to her own mind. "Sober me is very against such activities that are violation to someone's privacy. In fact I have been a victim myself of this."

"Really?" Looking unconvinced.

"Yes," she could not believe she was doing this, but her hide right now was what needed saving. Besides even she recognised that Jian needed a hard slap and a scare to stop his lewd drawings. "Jia-"

"So you don't know all about these drawings?" Bringing out two small pieces of paper and presenting them to her.

"Oh, wow," Inare gaped a little as she looked at the drawings of her face and, supposedly, her body in positions that she had never thought of, much less been in. Coughing nervously she managed to ask. "W…wh…where did you find those?" without squeaking too much.

"The kid, Jian, had them in his notebook."

"That kid…" she licked her upper lip, her mouth felt like it was full of sand, "really creative imagination." She now squeaked out, red faced and getting increasingly flustered. "I take back all I said… he is an exceptional artist. Just with a very low moral standards."

"You did not pose for these?"

"No…" Shaking her head slowly. Inare took a quick glance back at the images impressed by the details and finesse of his drawing. "… those breasts are way too small to be mine." She joked, and laughed alone.

An unimpressed smile rose on him. "You are going to have to try harder than that to convince me." The tease in his tone was unmistakable and Inare froze in response.

Her horribly hungover brain became sensitised to everything now, the amusement on his face. His position with both legs spread. In her mind she knew none of it meant anything. Some just like to sit like that. It's was comfortable.

Inare wanted to groan, cry and smack her head against something. Not necessarily in that order, but repetitively. She should not be letting her brain follow down that trail.

"You… would have to agree that there is a great deal of detail to his work. Correct?" As she looked at the drawing now for a third time. A part of her kind of wanted to keep it. It was very flattering.

Nodding slowly, Madara hummed in agreement as he too looked down onto the drawings. She wanted to gauge his eyes out in that moment.

"So you feel like he could have put the appropriate details of all my body. Right?"

His eyes narrowed in understanding and urging her to go.

"Well. I have a number of scars on my right arms from the time I was attacked by a dog. Similar scars on my side. So with this drawing," she pointed to the one where she was depicted to have her legs spread as she played with herself. "there are no scars…"

That was her best argument.

Madara nodded, in what she hoped was agreement. Which was when she saw the amusement flicker through his eyes. Her breath left her slowly with the knowledge that he had been playing with her.

Madara stood slowly to put the images away. Inare wanted him to burn them, while she simultaneously pulverised Jian to a bloody mess for the embarrassment that he had unintentionally put her through.

He should have been humiliated. Not her!

"Is that all?"

"I think it is." A small grin had formed and it wasn't leaving. Inare felt the desire to tackle him to ground and strangle him. Restraining all savage desires, Inare straightened her shoulders and stood. "Unless there is more that you would like to say about these very… interesting drawings."

Nodding with a forced grin, Inare let it sink to a scowl. "No," the word was spoken briskly.

"I'll make sure that Jian does not abuse his artistic talents again."

"You do that." Inare really did not handle defeat well, or being played.

"I am sure all the women of the encampment could rest easily knowing that there isn't a sexual fiend drawing them in such compromising positions."

"I think there are a lot of things that would make them happier."

"Happier than this has made me?" That small smirk morphed into a toothy grin, leaving Inare spluttering. Gaping for a response, Inare couldn't offer anything and Madara just stood there with that grin. "That is all. You may leave."

Inare didn't move, she was still reeling from his response. Her mind had just been ripped into a hundred different parts then blown off to corners of the continents and was still in the process of reassembling itself. "Unless of course you would like to stay and give me a personal demonstration. I'm sure I would be able to spot the differences between the reality and the drawing."

Inare moved faster than she had ever in her life, leaving the tent in a dash to get away. His taunting laughter echoed in her ears the entire way.

* * *

 **No chapter for 2 weeks. I'm off travelling and then have an assignment that I need to make significant headway with. Till then, this can keep you going :)**

 **I kinda want to make a more realistic approach to healing times, something that the Naruto universe doesn't adhere to consistently.**

 **Leave a review if your liking or hating this so far! Would love to know what you think :) Kudos to anyone who picked up on a few little quotes in this chapter.**


	7. Chapter 7

I don't own anything but OC's.

* * *

 **Chapter 7**

* * *

So ive been asked why my OC have been so cheerful and dorkish in a warzone. Well, the answer may shock you… they are meant to be human. Now I've never experienced war, I am highly fortunate for that, but I have some experience of a military setting from national service.

And one thing that always surprised me, was that no matter how shit our situation was, how cold, wet, hungry, exhausted and damn miserable after weeks in the field… humour would always persevere. And I think that's important to portray in some manner especially in this fictional setting (which come on, Naruto universe was always taking chances for cracks and giggles) where they've been at war their whole lives - that will inevitably affect them in many ways, but if anything would made them crave some semblance of normality or at least an alternative to what they currently have.

But rest assured… this story only gets darker and darker as this fic progresses… hehehee

Sorry for the short hiatus and I will unfortunately have to take another one in about a month or so as I go on exam leave. The final final exams… crap, the time to adult is rapidly approaching.

* * *

A travelling convoy of merchants passed by the encampment. At least they were allowed to stop outside after they had been extensively searched. For most this was an exciting day with shinobi and the like all buying the little luxuries that they had been craving for months. Mostly this include sake that they then securely hid away. For a few this was some dried mangos and bananas.

Inare would have been one of them had she any money. It wasn't as if she received any gratitude from the Uchiha clan in monetary form. Food and a relatively safe place to sleep at night was clearly all they offered here for her.

That still didn't stop her from browsing the elderly man' collection of scrolls and books piled into a large box. Being the only one with any interest in then, she was set a distant apart from all the others buying they stuff. From her kneeling position by the box, she began opening up a few and reading them. Nearly twenty minutes in and she had put aside two scrolls that she found incredibly interesting.

It didn't take long for the merchant to become irritated with her lack of interest in buying that he told her. "You either buy something or leave." Inare made a face, and moved to return all the scrolls back to the box before the man became more moody with her.

"Upsetting more people are you medic?" Inare stiffened as the voice of the man that had snuck up on her, glancing up she saw the clan head peering down on her.

"I'm just looking." She coolly replied, dismissing him outright.

Madara nodded with a grin, his interest in her lasting only for a fraction of a second before turning to the merchant. "I'm looking for a Yoto Senior."

"You've found him." The peddler chirped, looking over to Inare with displeasure, he turned to Madara. "Please ignore the loiterer." Inare directed a sour look at the old merchant before she went back to which it was just the merchant glaring annoyingly at her, but leaving her to read. Now she had to deal with people talking around her.

"I hear that you have something for me."

"Ah! You must be Madara, am I right?"

He grinned in response at the pedlars enthusiasm. "That's me."

"Then these are what you have been searching for," the man responded handing over two medium sized scrolls that looked like they had seen better days. Inare was more than startled when she saw flicks of dried blood on the paper. "Now, you're lucky I managed to get my hands on these friend'o. I heard from an old buddy that I used to buy red beets off of, brilliant for your digestion, let me tell you now. Now back to those scroll your holding, the majority of them had all been destroyed or something. Didn't get the whole story."

Madara opened them up, and curiously, Inare rose to her feet to have a look at it from over his shoulder. The man glanced down at her before looking back at the scroll himself.

Inare quickly recognised the seal of the writer. "Sugonu Genpo." Inare gasped, actually reaching out and taking the second scroll to look at it. The peddler cried out in annoyance at Inare's handling of the scrolls, shouting at her that if she damaged them, she bought them.

Inare, upon seeing the date of the scroll, quickly lost interest.

"You've heard of him?"

"Of course I have. Up until around five years before that date at least. Before then he was one of the greatest minds in medical ninjutsu… then he went cuckoo and started writing all this stuff. It's really not worth buying to be honest. The whole science behind them are just flimsy theories, at most fictional."

"It seems very interesting," keen eyes skimming over the text quickly, "the idea that you can take someone else's traits?"

"Well, the idea was more taking another creatures traits, rather than another person's."

"All the more interesting."

"It's a waste." She informed him as he counted through the golden coins and began handing them over to the peddler. "If anything its demonic."

"Do you understand what it all means?"

Giving him a annoyed look, Inare intended to set the man straight about this quack science. "I understand what the man way trying to achieve when he wrote this bunch of crazy. But it didn't work for him, because it doesn't work for anyone. We don't have the knowledge or understanding of the cells right down to the tiny weenie bits. Much less understanding on how we could manipulate it to do…" gesturing wildly at the scrolls that Madara was now holding in his hands. "… that sick stuff!"

"Then we can put it all down to curiosity."

"You don't listen. Do you?"

"Oh yes, I listen to everything. Then I hear what I want to."

Shaking her head with a sigh, she shrugged her shoulders. "Well, it's your money."

"Talking about money, are you going to buy those?" her indicated towards the two scrolls that were still set aside.

"No." Inare responded and reached down to put them away. Wishing that she had more time to learn their techniques. From the looks of it the pedlar was already irritated with her and a good number of the Uchiha had already bought what it was they wanted and were heading back into the camp.

"What are they about?" Why he asked if he was already midway from taking them from her hands to look at them himself, she couldn't say.

"Some medical techniques I haven't heard of. Both are pretty recent and sound interesting."

"Are they useful to you?"

"Well they could be if I had the time to learn them." Madara nodded at her response and then without so much as a second thought passed all four scrolls into her arms and handed over the money to the merchant.

Disgruntled, but secretly pleased he had bought them for her, Inare caught up to walk beside him.

"Who ever said that chivalry was lost? Because they clearly had a run in with you." Inare complained as they walked the short distance to the encampment.

"Yes, I remember her. She didn't complain much about chivalry when I had her in my bed."

Inare scoffed as she looked at him with narrowed eyes. "That is so…." she struggled for the right word. "pig headed. You know what? I'm not even surprised you would say something like that."

Madara laughed at her retort, glad that she had at least risen in confidence that she would return in banter and not continue to listen to his words to save herself hassle and trouble. "Either way. Thank you for buying these."

"If they can be used to help you advance you medical knowledge and help more of my clan, then I will gladly aid where I can."

Before he had even responded, Inare noted how strange it was that was the answer she expected to come from him. Or maybe not that strange, he did care greatly for his clan after all.

If he had proven anything to her in the short time she had the displeasure of knowing him, it was that.

After spending the majority of the day with the medics cataloguing their stocks of medicine and necessities. The last week had been beautifully quiet, it had been one of those weeks where Inare had near forgotten that there where wars taking place not ten kilometres away from their current spot.

When her day was over with the medics, for the first time in a while she retired to the tent and not collapsing into one of her little hideaway spots or the recovery tent.

There was only two other woman there, so Inare did not stay there long as the uncomfortable aura they were emitting quickly let on that she had interrupted an important conversation. Inare left to go to one of her little hideaways.

So she began with the only reading material she currently had.

Looking through the first scroll she saw, about a very archaic method of poison removal. Mostly involved creating a chakra-bound-water-bubble that would be pushed through the patient in order to create a concentration gradient that would result in the poison diffusing into the water bubble and out of the sufferer.

Inare could already see the number of problem associated with this method, but as a last minute resort when the patient was not responding to any known antidotes and a new one could not be made fast enough, she supposed that this would have to do.

Yet the risk it placed on the patient was great. It would result in a serious loss of essential nutrients and immune responders that could slow down recovery.

The method seemed simple, and Inare tried to bear it in mind in case it ever came handy, which she hoped it didn't. Surely medically they were passed such methods? Then again out in the field where supplies were limited, there was never a time for waiting on the correct instruments of medicines.

The next scrolls mentioned infusing lightning style jutsu with her standard healing technique which used controlled bursts of lightning in order to restart the heart. Inare would have to practice these, as she had an awful talent with lightning jutsu's, seeing as her chakra had affinity for earth style jutsu. Not that she ever bothered to learn and earth jutsus.

Overall, Inare was very pleased with her little haul. As for the other two scrolls Madara had bought were left flung over with the rest. Sighing out, she picked them out. It wasn't like she had anything else occupying her time.

An hour in trying to get her head around the quack science, including making many notes on the scrolls, Inare was pulled from her thoughts by the arrival of a messenger. She was a little hidden from the clan, sat behind the storage area, so that the kid had come actively seeking her means something bad or important.

"Can I help you?" She meekly asked, not even certain if she was allowed to be hanging around behind the stores. She really hoped that he didn't kick her out, she had already lost her nice little hiding spot next to sleeping quarters of some higher up strategist between two trees and a rock. The little patch of grass there had been fresh and a nice hide away, not to mention the strategist in question was incredibly quiet, so she was never bothered when napping.

"Your presence has been requested by Lord Madara."

So it was bad. Inare brows rose high at being informed that, not having expecting that outcome.

"Now or can it wait?"

"I suppose it can wait." He responded. Inare supposed that she couldn't get snappy at him for the vagueness of the answer, he was only young like all the messages that were running around the camp. She supposed it was a smart way of keeping all the young'uns occupied. If they weren't hanging around doing nothing, then they couldn't be training. If they weren't training, they weren't then rushing out to fight and die.

At least that's how Inare saw it. She wasn't entirely sure if that was the mentality behind everyone that used the messengers, but she liked to think it was.

"It's for dinner you know."

"Dinner?"

"Yes. Lord Madara has asked that you eat with him. I… thought you'd know."

"If I had known, then I wouldn't be needing a messenger to tell me that," she dryly responded, the little boy flushed pink and began fidgeting with his hands stuttering out nonsense about thinking she would know. Sighing out, Inare couldn't bring herself to torment him too much. She just didn't have the energy. "Did he mention a time or anything?"

At this the boy made a thoughtful face. Before just shaking it away. "Soon-ish?"

Now it was Inare's turn to shake her head, slowly. "You'll go far in life, kid." Mumbling she rose to her feet and gathering all her stuff. It was around supper time, and most of the shinobi would be hanging around the cooks to get theirs. "I'll head over in a bit." She returned, needing to put away her stuff in the fem's sleeping section. She hardly slept there anymore, much preferring to be in the medics tents, where the stench of death was too common and strangely comforting.

That was a lie. A horrible lie, she hated sleeping at the medics tents. It was just better than sleeping in the fem's tent, her stuff would occasionally vanish and every time she would get hard looks that just sent shivers along her spine.

Most of those women could kill, and were every good at it.

There was no one in the tent anymore, likely all off eating. Alone, Inare quickly change out of her smelly clothing from the last few days and put on a relatively freshly cleaned dress.

She didn't know why, but pulling the round neckline of her dress to her nose she gave it a quick sniff. Not too bad, Inare still couldn't decide why now of all times she had to become conscious of how she smelled. Quickly finding some lavender water on someone's mat that had just been left out, Inare splashed some around her neck and on her wrists. Frowning the entire time she did so.

If she had the energy, she would have done something with her hair. Instead she racked her fingers through it before neatly packing all her stuff away. Her roll mat hadn't even been unrolled. Inare mildly hoped that it would be a nice clear night, so that she might sneak out and sleep the night away in her little hide away.

Rising to her feet, Inare marched out of the tent before turning right around and back into it. Who did she think she was with her long hair all loose? Grabbing a pin, she pulled the top section of her hair into a loose bun. Loose hair was just not practical here, especially when at any moment she might be thrown into another conflict requiring her skills set. Heading over to the central area of the camp where she knew Madara's tent was, Inare occasionally fidgeted with her hair, tucking some loose strands behind her ears before untucking them. It quickly grew to a nauseating highs.

As she walked with determination to get this over and done with, Inare's stomach clenched in nervousness.

Mentally telling herself to be on her best behaviour, Inare went through the long list of things that she would not bring up over food.

Goats. Drawings. Inare quickly decided to include all forms of the arts including music, poetry and literature. Then after a moment's thought, she added all farm animals to the list. Torture was definitely not a topic that she wanted approach over food, neither would she indulge in her work.

She had been repeatedly reminded that her profession was not something to share descriptively over the table. Inare felt that she had been told this by reliable sources and choose to follow this advice for this evening.

The list was considerate that by the time she'd arrived she'd forgotten the first half.

For a few moments she awkwardly stood outside wondering if she should just enter or if there was some way she could knock. It was a tent so that was not a possible option. In the end she just stuck her head in and called for whoever's attention.

Inare was greeted with the sight of a very bare tent, with nothing but a box that was littered with weaponry, a pack that was leaned against said box, packed and likely ready in case of an emergency. She had been in this tent before and it looked no different than last time.

With the exception of the low set wooden table that had appeared from somewhere that was decorated with six bowls, likely two sets of each dish.

As for the man that had requested her presence?

He looked up, greeting her with a silent nod that was enough confirmation for her to enter. Madara looked clean and that made her feel bad for not having made even the slightest effort. It had been a nearly a week since she last bathed, a fact that Inare was not proud of.

However, despite how nice Madara looked, nice enough that Inare figured some might have called him handsome, what drew her entire attention was the large gourd that sat innocently on the table. Inare was now hoping that the blessed gods of wine had granted her with the taste of alcohol once again.

These last few peaceful days would have truly been glorious if it was the case.

He asked her to sit, and Inare did so silently. Still not having said a single word. Inare was still desperately trying not to think about the reason why she had last been sitting in this tent. Yet the denial of it was hard, and she began to feel heat roll up her neck.

Diverting her attention to something else, she looked down at the table as he began saying something.

The food was nothing fancy. Two sets of bowls of rice, soup and curry. It was no different that she could have been served outside, and that knowledge that he ate the same as everyone else gave her a reassurance that Inare didn't know she needed.

"Good evening." Inare rushed out, realising that she should have said something sooner rather than just begin staring at everything.

"Evening." He responded before gesturing to where she was to sit. Inare did not silently and with meagre grace.

"Is that-" Inare wanted not time in finding out her true interest that had been piqued.

"It is."

"Can I?"

"Please do."

No restraint there, Inare quickly serving herself a generous serving of the wine. Bringing it to her nose, Inare sniffed the rich and strong smell.

"I don't really have much talent in the art of serving." She admitted a little embarrassingly upon realising after her first gulp of the drink that she probably should have served Madara too. It was only polite seeing as he was sharing his alcohol with her.

Pouring an equally generous portion for Madara while taking care not to spill a drop, she then moved to cork the gourd.

"Not everyone has talents with the arts, unlike your friend Jian."

Inare flushed red with the initial embarrassment of him bringing it up, unnecessarily she might add, and dropped the cork onto the table. Her slip could not go unnoticed, so she just shoved it on and placed the gourd on the table none to gently.

"I will say that it is rather refreshing to encounter a woman that is not so shy about her body."

Less shy, but more uncomfortable would be the better description. Except that did really come across too well in a look, mostly just a dark glare. Inare did not like the idea that someone, who she had not chosen to permit, had seen a naked drawing of 'her' at all. While she knew it wasn't her body in reality, it was still her face pasted onto it. That thought reminded her of something else, "You've already seen it. There's not much more to see after that."

"Seeing the starved body of a broken woman hardly classifies. But if you really think that there is nothing more to see then you clearly are more inexperienced that you let on."

Clearing her throat uncomfortably, Inare drank heavily from the cup. Downing the sake a lot faster than she should. "Great stuff," her attempt at steering the conversation away. "Really good flavour to it."

"I notice that you had a preference for quantity rather than quality and thought you might be interested in something a little better."

"If its alcohol, I'm always interested." She murmured at the risk of sounding like a drunk.

Madara chuffed into his drink. "Don't wait on my account. Eat." When he noticed her sneaking glanced down at the food in front of her.

Mumbling a brief thanks for the food, Inare began to dig into the cooling rice and curry while Madara started with the soup first. While the food in the Uchiha compound was nothing to brag about, eating a meal at a table brought about something nicer to the experience. The addition of alcohol only enhanced that experience. With a grin at the sudden overwhelming joy, Inare ate a little slower to draw this out as long as she could.

"So no fights recently?" She commented, struggling with something to talk to Madara about seeing as her list was long forgotten and too long to actually permit any conversation.

"Even I get tired of battles. You hit a point when you begin to question what we are doing out there." The honest response shocked Inare, and she looked to gauge his mood. Inare didn't feel that they knew each other well enough that he'd be that open. Nor had they drunk enough to let the alcohol loosen their lips.

"The warrior who reject war. If I had a creative mind, I would write a poem of such warrior." And the irony. Inare ran with it, believing it may reveal to her something about the Uchiha clan head.

"In which case, it would sadden you to know that I would not be the ideal muse for such a poem."

"Really?" The sarcasm flew from her effortlessly. "I shall have to be grateful in which case that I do lack a creative mind. Lest I be struck with unbearable sadness that you were not my muse."

He laughed and for a fragment of a moment, Inare felt she was on par with him. She smiled, suddenly very pleased with her retort. It wasn't often that she managed to be so quick.

"You're a funny one Inare."

Sending him a quizzing look. "Funny 'haha', or funny peculiar?"

He paused to think for a second before responding with, "You probably don't want an answer to that."

Had he been anyone else she might have smacked him for that answer, but since he was who he was, she just rolled her eyes. It wouldn't do for her push her luck, playful conversation was one thing, physical attacks an entirely different realm. Instead she agreed as she leaned back into her seat. "Probably don't."

Shifting around from her sitting position on the ground, Inare found a more comfortable spot. "Your clan has been at war with the Senju for how many years now?"

"Over three hundred. At least that's how long there had even been an Uchiha clan and a Senju clan. Before that we were likely fighting for maybe a thousand years." He said it as if it were a joke.

Nodding mutely, she looked down in thought now remembering that having been mentioned to her before. Although when she tried to think about it she reached a blank. A hundreds of years of anger and pain. "It's a surprise that neither one of you have perished completely."

"It does surprise me on occasions. Once we were a clan of many thousands, back when our battles with the Senju where fewer and we did not face the threat from other upstarting clans. We forged strong bonds of family, friendship and love. We all bore the name Uchiha, despite many of us being related only vaguely, and we bore it with pride. We still do. Only, with too much pride and too little heart."

"That's is incredibly sad. Makes me so glad that I was never born into a Clan like this."

"What were you born into?"

"Couldn't say. My earliest memory is…" She had to stop, really think about that. She remembered walking through the doors of the orphanage that Kirno found her at three years later, but that would put her only at three. Surely she remembered something before that. "… there were never any parents. But… there was… something."

"Something?" Madara chuckled. "Pretty poor memory you have there."

"Yeah." She agreed softy.

"You must have had at least one parent as a shinobi, given that you have chakra and fine control to add."

"That's what Kirno said once."

"Kirno?"

"Yeah my old master. She was an intense woman."

"How so?"

"She beat me with a cabbage once." His brows rose almost comically and Inare laughed. "It wasn't that bad. I had done a job for a landowner and he couldn't pay me in money so he gave me a lot of cabbages, and me being a bit of an idiot thought that was acceptable payment and I took it gladly. Like maybe around thirty cabbages. Three days in, she got really pissed at having to still eat cabbage as we didn't have money to buy anything else, and so she started throwing them at me. That's Kirno in a nutshell."

Madara frowned. "It's a very… unique character… and name."

Inare shrugged, looking down to the dish of sake, before taking a swig. "Never thought much about her name."

"She was a medic, I assume?"

"Yeah. Really good one too. Amazing chakra control, unlike anyone I have ever seen."

"There was an Uchiha medic once called Kirno. She was stationed here on the eastern front."

Inare spluttered her mouthful of drink out. Coating the table with a good deal of saliva and sake. "Come again?" She managed to cough out, tears leaking from her eyes with exertion.

Madara gave her a look telling her that he was not going to needlessly repeat himself, when she had clearly heard him well enough.

"Tell me about her," the defensiveness of her tone was uncalled for, but Inare could not risk the possibility of her misunderstanding.

"About twenty five years ago there was a very skilled medic in our clan, the best we have ever had. Ebisu trained her personally and praised her as some prodigy. I was only young, so I have no personal recollections, but she defected. I have no way of proving it of course, but I would not be surprised if it was the same woman."

"And you actually remember this one person out of the hundreds of your clansmen, why?" She challenged him, believing that there could be no other possibility than him making it up.

Madara shrugged silently. "It's very rare that someone defects from the Clan. You tend to remember the people that do. In the last fifty years there have been no more than three, and I could tell you a lot about each of them and how two of them died." Inare quietly gulped while waiting for Madara to continue, as she really had nothing else to follow that up with.

"Kirno is a unique name to the clan. Ironically enough, so is Inare, although it is a very old name that I don't think I've hear of asides from a few stories."

"Your joking," Inare scoffed.

"Not really, Inari or Oinari is an old pagan god of rice along with other things."

"Rice?" Inare tried to hide the dissatisfied look on her face.

"And occasionally alcohol, but it does depend on what period your reading from on that one."

Now she could laugh. "Rice and booze. I can live with that. But Inari and Inare… not quite the same."

"True enough. Lots of misunderstanding have occurred through the ages over the pronunciation and writing of many names. So it is not entirely unlikely of that it could have been the mistake. Just an idea really. Did this Kirno name you?"

Inare swallowed uncomfortably. "I don't remember." She lied. When Kirno had found her, Inare really only had a nickname. It'd been crude and Inare had hated it from the moment she'd first been called it. As a child she'd been very vocal about that, so Kirno had stubbornly began calling her Inare till it had stuck. It sometimes lead her wonder if she had just been a stand in for someone that Kirno had lost.

It was a bitterly sad thought that occasionally overcame her.

"As I said, I wouldn't be surprised if they are the same person, but it is unlikely that we'll ever know."

Inare slumped back still nursing the dish of sake in her hands, humming to herself. "I don't really believe it if I'm being honest. But if it is true… small world then, right?" Bringing the dish to her mouth she drank deeply, her thirst for the alcohol betraying her calm demeanour.

"Small world indeed," he agreed, taking a short sip of this own drink. Placing the dish down gently, red eyes glanced towards her. "What happened to her?"

Inare took another gulp to steady her nerves. "Couldn't say. I… well," she took a calming breath, "I was kicked out by her nearly a year ago now. Haven't seen her since." Her voice and face where void of much, but the hurt could be spied in her eyes. Madara did not ask any follow up question to satisfy his obvious curiosity, for which Inare was grateful for.

"Kicked out? I couldn't imagine what you had done to annoy someone to the extent of doing that."

Inare made an unattractive face at his sarcasm, and blandly told him, "whatever reasons she kicked me out for, are none of your business."

"Understandable. No need to be scathing."

This new knowledge unsettled her for many reasons. One, that there had been something so important about Kirno that the woman had never felt that Inare was trustworthy enough, or just plain worthy, to tell. And two, it meant that Kirno had likely ran from something in this clan, that could have possibly shaped her entire attitude regarding shinobi and clans.

Was this something that Inare should be running from too?

The knowledge that she really should not be here rose at the back of her mind once again, and not for the first time that day.

Inare turned her attention back to the food, glad when their eating stopped any chance of conversation. She kept eating till all the food was gone, at which point Madara seemed more interested in taking up another conversation.

"Those scrolls…"

"The cuckoo ones?"

Annoyance flickered across his eyes and Inare revelled in it. Alcohol always did have a way of making her playful and a little too daring. "Would you read them for me?"

"Already did. Like I said, cuckoo."

"Could you explain it to me then?"

Inare resisted a sigh, but began to summarise what it was she had studied that afternoon in her down time. "Genpo was studying the possibility that you could take a chakra active individual, and fuse that persons chakra with the chakra of a creature, say a bear or a… I don't know, something as crazy as a shark."

"But surely this would only include summoning animals, that contain chakra?"

"All animals have chakra, like all living organisms do for that manner. Just not all of them are chakra active. It's just a part of our organic makeup. It's in such low quantities that it doesn't seem like anything more than background noise to chakra sensitive individuals." Madara nodded, his attention keen. "Genpo's research was taking that principle. He suggested that you could take… lets go with a bear, and you extract its chakra. A very difficult thing to do to begin with, then you infuse it into a sample of your shinobi's cells that have come straight from their spine. Something that has never been achieved, as far as I know. And in the end you would end up with some hybrid human bear, that could take on qualities of them both. It would have ideally the best traits of both creatures, strength of the bear but the logic of the man, and so on."

"But?"

Nodding in agreement. "But, Genpo could never fuse the cells or extract the chakra, so his research went uncompleted. Not to mention he was completely shunned for his ideas. Rejected from the entire community for his experiments. From what I remember they lynched him out of his village because he had been doing the same experiments on children." Inare shivered at the thought, and took another glug of the alcohol, refilling her dish once she finished it all off.

"Nothing of worth then?"

"Absolutely nothing."

"There isn't anything that you could explore or even consider looking into?"

"Well when you put it that way…" she brought her finger up to her chin, resting her elbow on her crossed legs as she appeared to ponder it. It took her all of a second to respond with a dry look, "…no, there isn't. I am not so monstrous that I would even play with the idea. Neither should you."

Inare downed the remaining drops of her drink, and seeing that Madara too had finished his food, Inare felt that now was the appropriate time to leave. She seriously doubted that he wanted her hanging around for company.

She hadn't bathed in almost a week and was not overly tired, but looking forward to sleeping early.

She thanked him graciously for the meal. Madara distractedly accepted her regards, excusing her when she asked to be. Rising to her feet, Inare heard her legs crackle a little from having been crossed for so long.

Making her way leave the tent, Inare felt herself stumble a little and began mentally cursing herself for having drank that little too much. She righted herself while trying to make it look like she hadn't almost fallen over.

Madara had not spoken again, and Inare was almost at the door when a new thought popped into her mind. Spinning on the spot, her dress flared up around her ankles and her head a little dizzy from the quick move. Her loose mouth was already rattling off before she had time to even think about censoring herself. "So your plan was to wine and dine me…, then try to get me to look into some unfounded science for you?" Madara looked up to see her deviously grinning face. "I see your that type of guy then… going for the tried and tested approach."

Inare was snickering, all the while Madara was levelling her with a look that took her some time to realise was telling her he was less that impressed with her humour.

The words of someone that Inare certain she had deemed wise at the time, came into her mind. 'You have a very unique brand of humour… so don't use it.' Inare hoped one day to remember that advise before she let her mouth run off.

Clearing her throats nervously, she became a little too aware of how that must have all come across as. "Anyway. You should ask Ebisu, he probably knows more than me." Her attempt to divert to conversation away from her very unnecessary comment obvious, but Madara too looked happier steering it away.

"He would not have even graced me with reading the scrolls. He has no interest in research but more in just making sure that each and every shinobi that's put in front of him gets through to the next day."

Inare nodded in agreement. "He's a good man. Excellent medic. I don't think I have ever seen anyone stitch so quickly. Or reduce such large wounds to barely nothing in an instant." Only person who could rival him might be Kirno. Her last part she kept to herself.

Madara too nodded in agreement. "He's had me on his table a number times when I was younger. If not for him I probably would have been dead five times over."

"Reckless fighting?"

"Not particularly. I simply chose a single opponent that I cannot afford to lose to."

Inare did not really care for the opponents that Madara had killed, so she directed the conversation back to what she was more interested in. "Why are you interested in Genpo's research then? I take its nothing to do with you interest in medical jutusu." She drunkenly stumbled on a word embarrassingly, but Madara didn't appear to have noticed.

He did not respond straight away, probably deciding how much he would even tell her, or if tell her anything at all. Inare did not put it passed him to lie. She could not deny how awkward it was beginning to feel with her still standing at the entrance, and him sitting. "If you would believe it. It came to me in a dream."

And there you have it. Inare nodded slowly, not making any comments. Deciding that he was a weird one.

"What did this dream involve?" When the silence became uncomfortable, she decided to humour him. At this point, having had enough of standing, she slowly returned to her former seat. A little silly especially after she had asked to leave, but what's done is done. Now she was curious.

"Well, the dream didn't involve anything. I woke up one morning wondering about the name Sugonu Genpo." Now Inare snorted, Madara appeared in agreement of her conclusion. "I had no idea what I would find when I requested to the visiting peddlers to see if any of them could bring anything of his back on their next visit."

"That is taking one serious leap. Although why anyone would be dreaming about Sugonu Genpo is anyone's guess. From what I heard, he had really small ears and a sixth toe from years of family inbreeding." It must have been the alcohol warming her body and mind that made her lean over the low table to pour herself another drink.

"Ahh, must have been some nightmare in that case. I could barely restrain my fear against the power of sixth toe."

Inare laughed into her drink, before admitting that she had fibbed about him having a sixth toe.

"What about the ears?" He further inquired.

"From what I heard he did have really small ears, and he was married to his cousin, and there where all these rumours of his parents being brother and sister. So he might have had a sixth toe! It was all really scandalous for the time."

"Still nightmarish by my standards."

She laughed again at his dry brand of humour. Finishing of the final drops of the booze in her cup. "I don't think Genpo could be considered a household name, unless you're a medic I suppose. You could have...probably just heard his name one time and… it re-emerged in your sleep," she ended with a shrug, not seeing any other possibility. "Your brain can process some weird things while its resting."

"That's what I had reasoned."

"So not that creepy in the end." She offered with a smile, yet still that he had gone to that extent to satisfy his curiosity about the scientist was impressive. Inare really would have thought he had much more important matters to focus his time on.

Despite the fact that only a moment ago she had moved to leave and get some rest, their last conversation fuelled her in some sense and the two struck up another. Inare was quickly discovering that he was an easy person to converse with. After finally delivering her actual goodbyes, Inare left his tent well over an hour later and stumbled outside. Beginning the short walk from the centre of the now silent camp towards the fems quarters where she was camped out.

She had not gone passed the tent adjacent to Madara when she was pulled to an abrupt stop when a tight grip around her arm almost had her falling backwards.

Roughly she was pulled towards someone, and Inare resisted screaming aloud at the sudden alarm that filled her body. The scream near erupting from her mouth when she heard the vaguely familiar voice of an Uchiha.

"My brother may find your company enjoyable for now, but do not forget your place." He hissed down at her. Inare looked away in discomfort at the sudden confrontation. It would seem that Izuna Uchiha was a little protective of his big brother. Inare could have guffawed at the scenario, but even her drunken mind was smart enough to know when she should shut up.

"You are a foreigner among us. You will never be welcome here, and before long, you will be gone. Most likely dead."

Her hand shot up to take hold of the one still holding her captive. "Well then." She muttered, dulled brown eyes darting up to meet his blood red eyes. "I had better make most this." She ripped her arm out of his grip, knowing that she would have failed had he not let her go, before throwing him one last look.

Her strides away from him were determined as she refused to look back.

* * *

Izuna looked back bitterly at the retreating medic before he moved to enter the tent she had vacated. Inside Madara was already waiting for him.

"You know you could have come in at any time." His older sibling informed him lazily. His eyes glazed over and the relaxed disposition from the alcohol no doubt. Izuna restrained from frowning outright at his brothers near careless attitude.

"I did not feel that was appropriate." Izuna was not surprised that his brother had sensed him outside of his tent, but that knowledge alone had not been motivation enough to enter.

Madara snorted in response, moving to recline on the floor of his tent. "When did you get back?"

"An hour ago. Had to ensure that my team where went straight into routine and were appropriately debriefed. Took longer than I expected. Thank you for saving my meal by the way." As he sat down where he imagined the foreign medic had been sitting not so long ago. The empty bowl innocently sitting there tormenting his ravenous stomach. "Then I came here maybe twenty minutes ago to find you with company."

Another snort from Madara. "I needed a favour from her."

"I heard," Izunas curt voice could have cut through armour, and Madara frowned at the tone he was taking with him. Izuna had never been so stern as a young boy, Madara regularly missed the little dirt faced kid who would follow him around with a cheeky grin.

Granted, that had been twenty years and three brothers ago.

"If your being brattish because your jealous I gave your food away, you're not going to get any sympathy from me."

His hardened face softened and for a second Madara caught a glimpse of the little brother from many years before. Madara shifted in his position as if he could have been fast enough to pounce forward and pull that little boy back into existence.

But that wouldn't not happen, and Izunas face only softened to the same relaxation that Madara could allow himself. A guarded one.

"Yeah, since you didn't leave me any. I just travelled four days straight only thinking I might arrive to hot meal waiting for me."

"I'm not your wife."

"A shitty brother is what you are." Izuna chuffed, reaching forward to shake the gourd still on the table. At the sound of alcohol splashing on the inside he grinned, bringing it to his lips and drinking deeply. "But I can settle for this."

"I honestly just needed her to look at something for me. Food and alcohol was just a good incentive to make her more complacent. She is a very heavy drinker from what I have heard."

"If you say so. But next time at least do it properly, especially if you are giving away my food." After taking a another taste of the wine, Izuna looked a little distraught. "Also, don't use the good wine on some foreigner."

"It was only for a favour." Madara insisted to his brother. Izuna was the only person that Madara would seek to ensure he did not receive the wrong impression.

"Then if that is the case, then fuck her. Get it out of your system, then get rid of her. She's becoming an eye sore."

"Three weeks away turns you into a right whiny brat." Madara commented, pulling to gourd from his brother and drinking from it. "What has she done to be so deserving of your annoyance? Buddha knows she had pushed me to the limit three times now."

"Nothing. If anything, I pity her."

Rising a brow in question, he handed back the sake to Izuna "How so?"

"For her eyes do not see like ours can." His words where accompanied by the activation of his sharingan and him finishing off the remaining sake. Madara chuckled at his brothers antics, never really seeing his view on those that did not wield the sharingan as the cursed.

Madara was too practical to see it that way. It was an heritable trait, something well out of the control of anyone. Much like fate.

"In all seriousness, do you have any food. I am famished."

Nodding, Madara pointed to his pack up against the entrance of his tent. "There's dried salted fish in the side pocket." Once Izuna had eaten some fish, and was looking a little less annoyed with his hunger, Madara was able to begin prying a report out of him.

"The north is doing good. Advancements from the Kamizuru clan doesn't seem to be moving further south, but we've increased patrols on the borders just in case."

"See, there was a reason I sent you. You are more than capable to handle this."

Izuna looked to be biting the inside of his mouth. "There were some conditions."

Frowning, Madara shifted again to return to sitting on his rear. "What conditions?"

"They want you to head over and make a…" Izuna sighed out at just the thought. "… scene."

"They had better be fucking joking about that."

"Far from it."

"You did tell them that our biggest enemies right now are to the east, and that me being here is a lot more important that intimidating some clan that are unlikely to be able to advance any further."

Izuna sighed out in understanding. "You think I wouldn't try and explain that all to them? They didn't listen. They want a display of power to scare off any possibility of an advancement."

"They can't advance. You said so yourself that the recce team revealed that they would be spread far too thin if they were to advance."

"It would be no more than a two week round journey. It is not a choice I would have made if I could have avoided it." Izuna quickly interrupted before Madara began what was looking like an outburst of anger.

Leaning back in frustration, Madara let out a long and bitter curse. "I'll be here on this front. You go, make it quick, do what you have to and return. Nothing will change drastically in just two weeks."

"I don't like this."

"Neither do I."

"It is already running late in the season. We have not met the planned advancement."

"You know as well as I do that war cannot be planned," Izuna tried reasoning with his brother. He had never enjoyed seeing his older brother look so conflicted.

"I do." Madara sighed out in frustration. A sad and harsh reality that had built the foundations of his entire life. "In three months we have to pack up and dig in for the winter, and I will not carelessly risk hundreds of lives in battling in the snow."

"It won't come to that."

"If we cannot defend our territory by the winter, the Senju will take the advantage of the highlands and easily push us back in the spring."

"Brother." Izuna shifted to kneel before his brother, a hand moving to rest on his shoulder. "It will not come to that. I have faith in your leadership and strength. So have faith in mine, and in the strength of our clan. We will not be pushed back so easily, even if you left just for a fortnight."

Seeing the stress and tension drop from Madara's face, Izuna returned to his seat, directing a devious grin over to Madara. "You stress too much brother. Would you like for me to call in that foreign medic for you? It might actually do you some good."

"Fuck off Izuna." Madara spat out, a smile gracing his face none the less as his brother jabs. Things were always that much more simpler when Izuna was there. "I should be the one having to reassure you. Not the other way round."

Shrugging, Izuna did not look like he thought so. None the less, Madara gave his brother a look that sent a message he only wished he could tell his little brother aloud. I will always protect you Izuna.

But Madara knew Izuna too well. His brother would reject such a notion claiming that his priority would always to ensure his own safety on the battle field. That he did not need protecting.

Despite his brothers competence, and rivalry of his own strength, Madara would never stop desiring that one thing and one thing only.

I would do anything to keep you safe, my little brother.

* * *

So according to the Naruto wikia (questionable source at times I know -_- ), the truce between Uchiha and Senju happened around 22 years after their first fight. I'm guessing that their first fight was when they were around 6/7 (crazy naturo universe when child soldiers were an okay thing… like when you reaaaaly think about it …wtf?), that would put them close to their thirties when they had peace.

This story is taking place in the last few years of the clan wars among the Senju and Uchiha, so im putting Madara as 26/27 here, Izuna 24/25. Inare is 20ish for those interested.

If some of the ages and timeline stuff doesn't add up to you, the message me and I'll fix it up. Also on a side note, that none of the timelines I have looked at add up consistently so I have taken some creative liberties.


	8. Chapter 8

I don't own anything but OC's.

* * *

 **Chapter 8**

* * *

Her morning hadn't gotten off to a great start. After being woken before the crack of dawn at the shout of a woman's voice, Inare head had shot up from the stool it had been resting on. That evening before had seen one of her patients conditions make a turn for the worse and she had been uncomfortable with leaving him unattended for the night.

At some point she must had unintentionally fallen asleep half on the floor and stool.

They brought in two Uchiha shinobi. Even before they had placed them down on a mat, Inare had known.

Still, she made the effort to check their wounds, made a rushed fuss about their pulse and breathing before pronouncing the two of them dead. As silly as it was to her, there had been incidents where she had been accused of doing a poor job.

The five shinobi that had been attending them looked very unhappy at the announcement and Inare squared her shoulders for the same accusations.

They didn't come, instead one of the shinobi had broken down crying while another consoled them. The only female of them watched the scene with an uncertain sadness, her arms tightly wrapped protectively around herself.

The remaining two had quickly gone into a quiet discussion between them and Inare was instantly on edge for another reason.

"Was anyone else injured in the attack?" Inare asked uncertainty, feeling the need to not just be sitting there. She couldn't exactly go anywhere else and there had been no inpatients till now. In fact, it had been very quiet for days since the last battle a week ago.

It was the woman who eventually looked down at Inare, that uncertainty had yet to leave her was now tinted with a hint of fear as she responded. "There was none."

The confusion on Inare's face must have prompted her to elaborate. "The two of them were meant to be out on a perimeter check. When they didn't return for the changeover, we went out to search for them."

Inare sat stunned, glancing down at the two dead men next to her. "Murder?" She whispered to herself as her eyes glanced over their wounds. She couldn't believe it, just the thought of it being murder sounded ridiculous to her. She would have laughed at the thought of an Uchiha killing the other, they were so fiercely protective of each other here.

Whoever it had been, could it be considered murder? Inare pondered that for a moment, titling her head in thought.

At the sound of movement Inare's eyes darted across to see the woman crouching down on the other side of a body from Inare. Her expression was not as reserved as before, but the clenched fist and hard eyes indicated that she might not be as unemotional as she was trying to put on.

Still, she was still coping better than the other guy whose sobs where now getting louder and beginning to wake up some of the resting injured.

Inare frowned at him, but quickly forced it off her face. Sometimes she really struggled to keep a composed face.

"Can you find out what killed him?" She was asked and Inare looked back to the kunoichi. She looked strong. Broad shoulders and her short sleeve shirt exposed thin but muscular arms. Just about every bit of her exposed skin was scuffed from her cheeks to her forearms and fists.

"I can tell you how he died, if it'll help."

"It would," she nodded. The severe look not lessening as she uttered her thanks at her effort.

Inare stared on a little longer than was probably polite. It wasn't often she got thanked for her job. It was warming even. In a rare display, despite the tiredness and sore neck, Inare smiled at the woman and she returned a small weary one.

"I'll do it now. You don't have to stay aroun-" "I will." Her swift interruption left Inare a little unsettled. She wasn't very good at working under other supervision.

"Right,", brushing the non-existing dirt off her hands. She shuffled closer to the first corpse and pulled out a knife and ripped right down the centre of his shirt exposing his chest.

It wasn't often that Inare had to perform autopsies. It always left a foul taste in her mouth at the end of it. She looked over the wounds, fingers probing around the small puncture on his chest. It protruded outwards the slightest bit, so Inare asked for assistance rolling him over to his stomach.

When there, she could see the entry wound.

"It looks like a single stab wound killed him. From this angle," Inare bent her head a little lowed to get a better look, then pushed the body onto its side so she could refresh her brain with exactly where the weapon had breached the other side, "the weapon would have pierced straight through his lung and possibly passed through his heart. I'll have to open them up to confirm that, but that would have definitely killed them."

"That won't be necessary."

Inare nodded in understanding. It was likely a waste of her time just to confirm the exact cause of dead.

"From the fact that complete rigor mortis has yet to set in he's been dead less than twelve hours."

"Well obviously. Their patrol was three hours ago, and it was an hour and a half ago when someone realised they hadn't come back. We found then maybe fifteen minutes ago."

"So that puts the death somewhere between three and an hour and a half ago. A small time gap."

She nodded firmly, while Inare rolled the body back onto its stomach and probed around the wound for a little more, even sticking her finger into it once.

"That's strange…" Inare mumbled to herself, and the kunoichi leaned over her to take a closer look at what she was talking about.

"What is?"

Inare was running her finger around the entrance wound. "Well, it's the stab wound. There's something off about it." Removing her finger she wiped it off on her apron. The blood hadn't entirely died yet. Inare zoned out into her own thought, biting the corner of her mouth as she did so. "Knife wounds leave track marks from the blades from when they are thrust into the body," with her attention so fixed on the wound Inare did not see the woman flinch at her word choice. "There aren't any here, but the from the exit it does have to have some sort of pointed end. Which makes it sort of like a… an oval sort of weapon with a pointed tip. If that's of any help."

"It is. But are you sure?"

"Well, it's a good 'a guess as any."

"But, that's a pretty senseless weapon. It'd be impractical, only good for blunt attack, which judging by the size wouldn't have the weight to deal any severe damage. You think it could be a spear?"

Inare pondered it for a little while, enjoying the mental stimulation this woman was giving her. It wasn't often she got asked to really quiz herself over an individual's death. Despite the morbidity of it all, she found herself quite enjoying solving this puzzle.

"I don't think so. Look," Inare shuffled backwards, "this is an upwards thrust, an odd angle if someone had thrown a spear. And look at the minor bruising, possibly indicative of initial the attack being delivered at a close distance." But even after all that there was something still bugging her about that wound, a really irritating piece of knowledge that she had but just couldn't grasp a hold of.

"Interesting," this kunoichi didn't sound that interested.

"Let's find out about the other." Inare suggested, standing and moving to the other and repeating the procedure. Exactly the same prediction.

"Now it makes sense," Inare concluded, and got the kunoichi to help her again at shifting the bodies around to have the two corpses on their stomachs side by side. "Whoever killed them did it at the exact same time," Inare knelt between the two bodies, both hands in fists as she held them up close to the entry wounds, "likely thrusting in the same weapons simultaneously from behind. They probably had no idea what was coming and would have died relatively quickly."

Even all that still didn't settle her mind on the wounds themselves.

"Is everything okay?"

"No, I… I remember someone mentioning a weird stab wound, yesterday I think," Inare grumbled off to herself, wracking her brain for an idea.

"On someone else?" She looked keen for an answer.

"Yeah, I just can't remember if the persons still alive. Although, going by these two, probably not."

An uncomfortable silence followed and Inare was quickly experiencing one of those moments when she really wished she had just remained quiet or at least thought through her sentences. Her flippant attitude towards death these days was downright disturbing even to her. Was she supposed to talk to someone about that? Probably…

Never mind that, as her mind had just caught up on itself and she was on her feet before she knew what she was doing. She exited the tent and rounded it to the back where their current dead were being held. One by one she lifted up the sheets covering the deceased and had a quick peak at their wounds before moving onto the next one.

"What are you doing?" The accusation held a distinct tone of disgust, Inare looked up from her examination of the wound and glanced to see the kuniochi. She was a curious one.

Inare grinned at the woman. Man was she tired. Her brain felt fuzzy and she probably wasn't acting entirely like herself right now. "Look, I found it. The exact same wound," Inare sounded way too happy, and then began to suspect that she may have some personal problems that she'll need to sort out at a later date. Or just sleep it off.

"When did this guy die then?"

"According to this tag, five day ago. At the last battle."

She looked relieved, but then her face hardened. "This is bad. The camps been recced."

* * *

After the frightening, yet somewhat exciting, reveal, Inare's day just lost much of her interest.

So the camp was being spied on and the spy had killed two Uchiha's. It really couldn't have been the biggest of deals. It did likely mean that the camp was going to move on soon, or they would just send some hunters to track the men down and find out who they were spying for.

Either way, it did leave the camp buzzing with anticipation.

Everyone but Inare was on edge that morning. But then again, Inare was already in a weird mood, so she didn't think too much on it. Her odd numb mood had passed by the time she ate and then got to have a quick wash which felt useful given the disgusting level of humidity that morning.

Lunch had also been disgusting oily soup with three floating chunks of chicken that had been too fatty. In the end she ate just the carrots and noodles and gave up on the broth and meat.

With no battles happening that day and her patient passing away that morning, Inare didn't really have much to do except mope about around the medics tent till Ebisu kicked her in the leg and made her get up and begin cataloguing with another medic.

They had been at it for an hour when a loud voice called her attention. "Medic!" And all four medics under the open tent who were in the process of cleaning, ripping up new bandages and cleaning used one, turned to look.

The messenger instantly saw his error as he blanched a little and gathered his thought before stuttering out, "The… foreign medic?"

Now they were all looking at Inare who had been cataloguing supplies. She looked up from the thick plank of wood on which she was using to write up against. "Me?"

The messenger, she now saw as a young boy, likely ten or eleven at the most, nod vigorously. "Please come with me, your presence is required."

"Is someone injured or requiring assistance?"

The boy looked uncertain when he responded in the negative. Either way, if she needed anything that kid would have to run back and get it for her. It would be his own fault after all.

"Alright," she sighed out tiredly, "just give me a moment." Finishing up what she had been in the middle of writing, she passed her lot over to a nearby aid and began quickly instructing the woman on what it was she had been doing. "I'll try not to be long." Inare reassured her.

Leaving the tent she followed after the messenger, wiping her sweaty hands over her blood, urine and various other unfavourable bodily fluid splattered apron. She'd have to wash it soon. Talking about a wash, she was in desperate need of a body wash. It had been a whole week of this heavy humidity, and Inare had done nothing but sweat every day.

Looking at the sky as she walked unhurried by the messenger she saw that the storm coming in that she had noticed earlier was almost upon them. Probably only a few minutes before the heavens opened. The weather had turned a lot cooler, and while that had been a relief from the onslaught of heatwaves during the late summer, autumn in these lands just seemed to be very humid, rainy and grey.

Inare for one would be glad for it. The rain would wash away the humidity. That said, she was hoping that the rain would hold itself off until she was back at the treatment tent. She was really not in the mood for being sopping wet while working. Not that she was ever in the mood for that when she thought about it.

The messenger led her towards a far offset tent that she had never cared enough to notice before. It was near the armourer at the edge of the camp and she quickly noticed Isshin. It had been a few days since she last saw him so with a quick apology to the messenger, she dashed over to greet the friendly Uchiha.

"Isshin." She called as she jogged over.

His face lit up at seeing her, and he moved away from the young shinobi that were crowding him. "Inare. It's been too long."

"Definitely. And I see that you have found yourself a devout group of followers."

"Ah these little brats? They just won't stop following me." The youngest there was probably thirteen or twelve and looked a little off put by her sudden arrival while the rest were curious.

"You're the foreign medic!" One exclaimed, but a quick "That's rude now, shut up" from Isshin settled them all down. A few even skulked away seeing that adult talk was likely about to take over. Poor kids did not know the two of them well enough.

"How have you been doing?"

"Ah, the usual. Blood, puss and vomit. My favourite combination for the late afternoons."

Isshin barely managed to hide the shiver of disgust from her, which only made her grin more. "Sounds like a whale of a time." He dryly commented, sarcasm laid on a little too heavy. "What you up to now. Fancy grabbing some food before we get drenched?"

"No can do. I'm being dragged over to that tent over there for something or another."

"Which one?" He asked, poking her head a little around the armoury to see where she was pointing. "That one there?"

"Yep."

"I've never noticed it before." Inare shrugged, finding the comment odd. "Do you want me to come with you?" He asked, concern flicking across his features.

"Don't be silly. It's probably nothing and will only last a short while."

"If you say so. I don't mind waiting for you to finish. Then food."

"That doesn't sound too bad… except, I have actual work to do. None of this slacking around that you guys do."

"How could I forget. You are very unlike us aloof shinobi, a bunch of thugs by any other name."

"Well you know what they say. Those that can, work… those that can't… shinobi."

A bark of laughter from Isshin. "Go on now." Pushing her in the direction of the irked messenger. "Go on and put us shinobi to shame."

Laughing, she turned back to bid him goodbye before she jogged over to the messenger that was still waiting for her. He seemed to lighten up at seeing her return, and turned to continue escorting her.

"I can take it from here." Not seeing the reason for him to walk all the way over to the tent at the edge of the camp if he was only going to drop her off and then leave.

"I will escort you there." Despite his obvious youth, he was quite a stern young man. It made Inare want to laugh at how serious he was being. She didn't bring it up again, figuring that the boy just wanted to do his job properly.

He opened the flaps of the tent and walked in a head of her, disappearing into the tent. Inare in a moment of clumsiness stubbed her left toe on a stone and gave a low curse. Leaning down she looked at the lifted nail in annoyance.

Loosening the tense sneer on her face as she prodded the injury, Inare decided there was nothing she could do for it now so straightened up while muttering curses at the annoyance of sandals.

Opening the tent entrance, Inare entered less than a minute after her escort. Two steps into the tent and she paused. Confusion taking over her face as she looked ahead of her to see only an empty tent. At the sound of movement Inare spun around quickly, her breath caught in the throat as uncertainty that quickly morphed into terror began to build up at the base of her throat before it erupted into a scream.

A rough hand slapped itself over her mouth and pulled her against a warm body. Her body buckled in the alarm as she tried to get away, only to have a arm slip around her stomach and stifle her movements of her arms and body.

Stunned into an eventual paralytic fear, Inare held her breath.

In the young Uchiha's attempt to scream in pain, cry for help, curse his murderer or all three, blood would bubble out of his mouth and where the Kunai was lodged in his sternum, spewing its way out of this neck and onto the ground.

As a wear squawking sound was beginning to erupt from him mouth, the murdered placed a botted foot onto his mouth and pushed down hard enough that she heard the sickening crack of his law dislocating.

Jumping out of her trance at the brutal display Inare just her eyes with a whimper.

Inare counted sixty seconds. Sixty seconds with the murderers hands on her, stifling the scream she so desperately wanted to release. Sixty seconds with the breath of the murderer tricking against her neck.

Sixty seconds was a long time to die.

Inare eventually opened her eyes when she no longer heard the buckling body of the boy. As his eyes went dark and life finally left him. Heart pounding, Inare felt the early sting of tears behind her eyelids. Her whole body shook in short intervals.

"I'm going to let go of you now." A male voice whispered behind her, making her gasp at the sound of his voice. It was soft, fearfully soft. Too soft for someone so brutal. The hand pressed hard to her mouth loosed some of its pressure to aid his statement. "And you are not going to scream. Or call for help. I don't think I need to explain to you what will happen if you do."

She nodded franticly. Eyes pooling with unshed tears of terror.

As the hand gradually eased up on all its pressure, her mouth was releases and the killer stood away from her in a quick step.

Spinning fast she turned to face him, putting her back to the inside of the tent and facing the entrance. Her breathing was jagged, and now that there was distance between them there was the temptation to now call for help. Except Inare was not that frivolous with her life.

His height and broadness were the first daunting facts that she drew from him. More than a lot stronger than her, so she would not be winning in a scrapple for the exit. Relaxing her tense back. She stood straight, refusing to look down at the boy who had just died in front of her.

If only he had been a little lazy. Willing to slack off and let her just enter on her own, while he headed off for some other menial task.

He had snowy white hair and pale skin. He almost looked as if to be an albino. He mind quickly sprung to think of the Senju albino that men in the encampment would often whisper about. How they would whisper of his skills at rapid slaughter on the battle field.

Except that Senju was meant to be a red eyed and white haired demon. Her own demon right now had clear sky blue eyes that almost bored right through her, with two small red circles painted on his brow. Likely the symbol of some clan or another.

So he was unlike that Senju she had heard of. But no less of an enemy to her in that moment.

Not that the Senju where her enemies to begin with, they were the Uchiha's enemies, Inare had to remind herself. That distinction needed to be clear in her head.

"Hello." She began, because… how else does one start a conversation with their potential murderer?

A smile lit up his face and it made her skin crawl. "Good afternoon." He even went so far as to give her a mock bow. She forced a weak smile, nodding slowly. "Not really been one," she mumbled to herself.

"Such a shame to hear," that he had heard more annoyed that frightened her. What frightened her was the pleasant aura he was giving off.

"Anyone could tell that you weren't from the Uchiha Clan. Maybe I am being hopeful here, but you would not happen to be… let's say adverse, from leaving them. Would you?"

Inare frowned at the speed this man was taking this conversation. "Who are you?"

"Oh," sounding a little startled. "Here I am beginning to blabber on about all this and that when we haven't made the proper introductions yet. My name is Shun. I am from the strong and esteemed Kaguya clan."

"All very interesting and you are telling me this, why?" For her sanity, it was easier to come across as bored. "Why are you here?" How did he even get in here? Inare couldn't help but ask herself, the Uchiha clan was meticulous with their scouts and surveillance of the encampment.

"While my clan is very adept with their fighting prowess, we are significantly less talented in the strategic elements. So… we suffer considerable losses due to our lack of medics. I was mostly wondering if you would be interested."

Inare gave a snort of dark laughter. "This must be the strangest offer I have ever received."

"The job sounds perfectly normal to me."

"You right, maybe a better way to phrase that would have been, the strangest way someone has ever offered me a job. This is all very dubious at best."

"Oh, but my dear, we are ninja. We trade in the art of dubiousness."

"Uhu?" Inare sounded in a questioning manner that was meant to hide her rising terror at this man. "So, what would the benefits of this position be?" Her walk was lethargic as she paced this small tent. Uncomfortably small.

At no point was this man more than five steps away from her, the tent was too small to permit any greater distance. She could attempt to push her chakra into a scalpel and cut her way out of the tent, but he would be more than able to catch her too soon.

Attempting to not to seem rattled, she cocked one hip and crossed her arms. Above them loud thunder crashed before the light pats of rain could be heard on the roof of the tent. The sound had shocked Inare and she lost her composure.

"You would have protection. The best protection you could ask for."

She only caught half of what he had said, and gritted her teeth. "I have protection here." She stiffly returned with.

He laughed. It was a nice laugh, cheerful to her ears. If it was not for the pale blue eyes that bore into her. "I would not call this protection." She returned with a weak smile that fell flat in convincing anyone.

"Pay!" She intruded. The thought coming to her head randomly. The rain was getting heavier and it would soon be hard to hear one another in speaking. She used the moment when he appeared to be thinking over her exclamation to regain her frail composure.

He blinked slowly. Thinking over her words. "Payment could be offered. It would have to reflect the quality of your work."

Nodding slowly, she was back on the move. "I do not settled for less than exceptional work when I am healing. So there would be no issues with the quality" Slowly began pacing her way around the tent again, she hoped that he would be attempting to keep a fixed distance from her and let her drift him away his spot right at the entrance.

He did not move.

To turn around and walk away from him now would be too obvious.

Inare stopped just short of him.

Her mind reeled for something to get him to move. If she could get him away from the tent entrance, she might have the tiniest scrap of a chance. "What of the other benefits?" While outside her drooping eyes gazed up to him through her lashes with her mouth open just a fraction, internally she was mentally wailing about at how stupid the only idea that came to her was.

Slowly, she ran her tongue across her bottom lip, as the corner of her lips curled into a smile.

Joy seemed to light his eyes, before he burst into laughter, at which point she realised that it wasn't joy but humour.

Stung, Inare look a fraction of a step back.

He doubled over clutching his stomach, rich laughter too pleasant to her ears that it infuriated. "Has that worked for you before?" He managed between the laughter.

Her face was on fire of mortification when he asked that. Her mouth set in a hard line as her face betrayed nothing of her humiliation, except of the deep pink that now painted her whole cheeks and neck.

One step forward and she grabbed at his long hair, ripping his head up so his eyes met hers, to deliver the bitter words "Yes. It has." Excitement lit up his eyes, but he was not expecting her knee to quickly rise as she pulled his head down, to smash his face.

The next second she dived through the narrow tent entrance. Her lungs filling with air to scream out the name of the only person close enough to come for her.

"ISSHIN!" The scream was so loud her throat felt raw and damaged by the end. Outside the rain had begun, hitting the ground and bouncing back up with the intensity that it fell. The entire camp looked near deserted, everyone having gone to seek shelter from the rain.

With the heaviness of the rain, it was unlikely that anyone had heard her. "Isshin!" She creamed again, less force but still loud.

Inare slipped in the new mud and fell face forward into the ground. Catching herself with her hands, pain flared up her right wrist as she landed badly. Somehow she managed to take the rest of the fall with her leg and push herself off the ground and further away from the tent.

Five more quick paces and she slipped again on the thick mud, this time catching herself and pushing off

She was too slow.

Inare had lost precious time on her first fall, her second slip was enough of a delay for him to catch her. She could not entirely follow how it happened, but she guessed that he pushed her from her head down towards the ground as before she knew it the sodden earth was suffocating her.

With a struggle she managed to push herself up from the ground only to be shoved back down towards it. Then with a tight grip on her hair, she was roughly pulled onto her knees. Inare yelped at the painful tug on her scalp, before sucking in a breath when Shun placed a sharp knife against her neck. Inare could already feel the blade slicing into her skin from the pressure he had it against her.

Pushing herself back as much as she could till her head was pressed against her assailants stomach.

Less than a second later Isshin appeared. Six more shinobi followed, all stood behind Isshin. Each and every one of them wielding a weapon.

"Inare, who is he?" Isshin shouted tensely. A blade in one hand and a defensive stance as he came to stand maybe two meters away from her.

"Kaguya clan," She called out before he blade at her neck pressed down further. Her head reeled backwards into Shun's lower stomach. A gasp leaving her as it cut deeper.

"Now, now, lovely medic. Don't go giving me away already," his murmur was only loud enough for her to hear, "you'll end up ruining everything". Blanching, Inare swallowed the thick fear down.

"Inare stay calm. We'll get you out of this." Isshin shouted again, his reassurance really not doing much for her right then.

Shun spoke loud enough for only Inare to hear. "How cute, someone wants to be the hero. I suppose cutting your head off now would really put a downer on his mood then, wouldn't it?"

Inare wanted to cry. This man was crazy!

He talked about such awful ideas with such childlike innocence. Was he completely incapable of empathy?

She felt his right knee push into the middle of her back. She exhaled heavily realising that he was likely off to her left side. Closing her eyes and trying not to think about how wrong this could all go for her. She tightened her left fist, before she flung her elbow backwards.

Her pointy elbow made sharp impact with his gut.

"Bitch." He grunted as he lost his grip on his kunai, but not before it left a deep slice at her lower neck over her collar bone. Blood erupted and ran down her chest but as Inare was leaping away from him she did not notice the pain till his hand smacked right over her face pulling her backwards before a searing pain appeared from her left leg as he impaled then retracted something right through her thigh.

Was that bone?

Inare might have gagged if she wasn't screaming.

Her scream died quickly as her body was heaved over a shoulder. They were then moving so quickly that Inare could barely get her bearings.

* * *

"Isshin. Stop!" Daichi howled after his captain. The man was moving too fast for him to catch up without burning himself out.

The man ignored him and Daichi grumbled something along the lines of a stubborn pig-headed captains. "Isshin, our orders are to not pursue!"

Isshin halted so quickly that Daichi's jump sent him flying passed the man, well would have if his fist hadn't been there to stop him and send him spiralling towards the ground. Having been subjected to that pull way to many times, Daichi managed to land without too many issues. Asides from the broken nose that is.

Isshin dropped down in front of him, quick steps put him face to face with Daichi.

"Return?" He snarled. A biting rage consumed him. "Just leave her?"

"I'm liking this just as much as you are. But we are returning." A painful wince as he managed to straighten his now crocked nose to something marginally less crooked. Blood was steaming down his lower face.

"Have we really lost ourselves over the years that we would just let a comrade be taken."

"She is not a comrade."

"How isn't she? She has healed us, saved our lives, fuckin eaten and shared drinks with us. How the does that not make us comrades?"

A dark look overcame his friend. "She's not Uchiha, Isshin. That's all it takes."

A snort of laughter. It came to Isshin so quickly that it left Daichi startled at how quickly that raged had vanished to be replaced with the bitter humour. "How could I forget? She's not Clan." He turned away from Daichi. Beginning to walk back in the direction of the encampment. "Not Clan… no sharingnan… couldn't possibly be someone we should consider looking out for."

Daichi squared his shoulders.

"Are we really that shallow?" His question went unanswered by Daichi.

The forest went quiet with Isshin, the rain still coming down heavily and showing no sights of stopping any time soon. Beneath him he could feel the each become soft and sink. At this point any traces of that man had been washed away with the heavy rain. The now increasingly heavy rain had made listening for anyone approaching difficult.

"Incredibly," a smooth voice responded. A pair of feet landed on the forest ground, and both Daichi and Isshin stiffened up at the arrival of the brother.

"Sir." Daichi muttered, bowing his head in a quick show of respect. Isshin stared on at the younger Clan leader darkly.

"Sir. Have I heard correctly that we are to return back to base without pursuit?" Isshin asked stiffly. His tone suggesting that there was only one answer he wanted, that he knew he wasn't going to receive.

"You are returning to gather you team Isshin." Izuna coolly informed the man. "The details of your mission will be given upon you return to the camp."

"Are we going to attack this Kaguya Clan that took the medic?"

"We have yet to decide what our course of action is to be. Return to camp, and you'll maybe part of that decision." Visible irritation showing on Izuna's face from Isshin's blatant insubordination.

"And if I choose to continue?"

A kunai suddenly appeared in Izuna's hand faster than both Isshin and Daichi could react. Daichi took a precautionary step backwards, his hand itching to move towards his own blades. Isshin could not decide who Daichi was preparing himself to attack.

With a struggle, Isshin did not move for one of his own weapons.

"You know the law," Izuna warned, before the kunai vanished as fast as it appeared. Isshin knew Izuna's speed in battle was deadly, and decided there that he was not a man he wished to fight.

"A little overboard wouldn't you say, for you to come all this way?"

"Must ensure that one of our top captains does not defect."

"I wouldn't."

"I know you wouldn't." Irritation and defiance arose visibly in Isshin at Izunas's response. The hatred that this man would presume to think he knew him grated on him. "Very well my lord. I will return at once." His tone tense and cool.


	9. Chapter 9

I don't own anything but OC's.

* * *

 **Chapter 9**

* * *

Warning. I did get a little carried away here with graphic descriptions… A recce is short for Reconnaissance - basically surveying an enemy position or camp for the purpose of attack, getting a picture of their munitions power, supplies and yada yada yada.

* * *

Recce team B, led by Madara, had returned from their northern camp only fifteen minutes after the medic was taken with news of spotting a camp of shinobi only twenty kilometres away. Their forces were small, but large enough to need to attack with at least six sections so that they would have an advantage of a three to one ratio.

They had been demonstrating clear aggression within the land, likely wanting to expand further into the territory, possibly towards the west. Although their intentions had not outwardly been made to the Uchiha, their actions only moments ago demonstrated a clear lack of any non-violent motivations.

Having taken only the one medic was a curious factor. That they had taken the foreigner medic led to the digging up of old rumours of her being a spy and that her abduction had been part of her extraction plan. Those that had been in the vicinity to witness her taking didn't hold to that opinion, having seen the brutal way she had been treated just moments before and not being able to fathom ever treating a comrade in such a way.

Not even to put on a show.

"The final rendezvous point for the division is here," Madara pointed to a spot on the ground map. It had been a royal pain in the ass to build one on the still sodden ground. At least the rain had stopped for the briefing, "from here the teams will split into three sections. One and two will be section one. Three and four, section two and five and six section three." The tedious detail was tedious, but routine was routine.

"Section one will take the left flank. You will be led by Isshin. His second is Jun." The two men nodded at Madara before sharing a quick glance of acknowledgement. "Section two will take the right flank. I will be leading, with Daichi as my second." The large man gave a brief nod, taking mental notes of the positions that Madara has just pointed out. "Team three, led by Izuna. His second is Susumu. Team three will split. Half will remain as reserve at the final rendezvous point, while the second half act as cover and distraction to the enemy."

The team leaders and their seconds were listening intently as Madara ran through the plan, using a stick to point to mentioned positions on the large ground model that had been made moments before with sticks and rocks. The model depicted the layout of the camp that had been provided by sketches from Recce team B.

The Kaguya camp was triangular in shape, much like their own, but significantly smaller. "The Recce reported that there are at least one stag positions at each corner. Section one and two's objective is to destroy the stag points to prevent the main base from being alerted of our attack." He repeated the objective again to ensure that they had all heard it. He spoke clearly and at the right pace, with a confidence that would only ever be gained from the years of experience that he had been giving orders. "The manner of which each section will achieve this will be left to the discretion of the section leader. Isshin I want your brief no later than twenty minutes after the briefing."

For all the dislike between the two men, an old matter and not purely due to recent events, these men could put aside their emotions when their roles took over.

"Sections one and two will secure their position in no more than forty minutes after departure from the final rendezvous point.

"At which point the second half of section three will direct attention towards the south through their attack on the stag position. Once the attack has been announced, sections one and two will close in on the base, attacking from all sides. We are attacking fast and with full aggression."

The orders carried on to mention the terrain in which they would be fighting, the expected conditions of the weather, the weapons and status of the Kaguya clan from and all the other median factors that would help them prepare better for the upcoming attack. Despite it being dark, wet and cold, Madara was pleased to see his men alert and looking ready.

"This Kaguya Clan, infiltrated our base."

Madara let those words hang for a moment, slowly sinking into their minds at what that meant to them. He didn't accuse any of them, nor was his intention to call anyone out. "We have failed in our duties to provide a safe base for recovery, rest and as a reminder that there is a world outside of war. This base, and our others, stand as a symbol to our Clan of what could one day be, a life where our people can live out normally. If we cannot protect our base, how can we protect our clan? Our family? Our future?

"Tonight, we show the Kaguya why they do not challenge the Uchiha clan."

Grunts of agreement were sounded, visible anticipation for the attack present in the clenching of muscles, forming of fists, the heavy breathing. These men were as angry as he was, if not more so. His words only fuelled them towards the inevitable.

"Sir. What of the abducted medic?" It was Isshin that asked. Madara was not surprised, and his commanding persona did not waver as he turned to Isshin and responded. "This is not a rescue mission. This is a mission for the preservation of this encampment and the destruction of Kaguya one. All enemy shinobi are to be engaged in combat and destroyed. The medic does not take priority in this mission."

From the corner of his eye Madara witnessed the balling of Isshin fists. Continuing to address the team leaders, he did not let Isshin's clear distaste of Madara's words alter his orders delivery. "However. Should an opportunity arise in securing the medics safe return, one that does not compromise the missions objective or the safety of your comrades. I urge you all to take it. This would be at the individuals own risk, but securing the medic be a great asset in the long term."

Beyond caring what Isshin's response was to that, Madara finished the briefing with. "Anything needing further clarification?" They all knew better than to ask. If they asked, then it would be an indication that they hadn't been listening very well. A quick nod to them all and a mumbled. "We leave in one hour."

They all heard it, as they all bore the same face that every fighter did upon hearing the announcement of the departure time. It never varied much. A fraction of dread, a slight amount of anticipation and a healthy dose of fear were all hidden in the eyes of determined men that were confident in their abilities and training. Shionbi that were ready to fight for their clan. And when the time called for it, die for it.

* * *

Shaking hands reached for the loose pant leg that had been soaked through with blood and rain water. Her teeth were tightly grit and Inare struggled to keep a cool head in face of her own blood and bone. On others it was always so simple to ignore their pain and gruesomeness of their injuries, on oneself it was a different matter entirely. Inare was simply not strong enough to be able to handle that along with a fractured wrist, impaled thigh and rapidly chilling body.

The damp clothes and a lack of any fire or warmth in the dingy little tent that she had been thrown into angrily on her and Shun's arrival. At least it provided protection from the wind that was now picking up. The rain had eased to almost nothing but from the thunder that crackled in the distance, the gentle drops of water might not last for long.

While she couldn't see the wound, she did not doubt that it was the exact same wound as those two dead Uchihas from the morning.

"That solves that mystery," she bitterly muttered aloud. Really not happy about discovering it first-hand. She supposed it might have been karma for her morbid mood this morning.

Chakra flared through her hands as she lowered it shakily to her leg, probing through the wound to feel for the damage. She could only really do this for her own body, and while previous experience with it had been while she was uninjured, to do it while she was sent shivers through her.

Her bone had been impaled right through. It was no wonder that she could not move her leg without agony. There was a finger width gap in her femur!

The knowledge that she would have to fuse to bones together sent tears of frustration to her eyes. Gritting her teeth now painfully tight, Inare wanted to cry at how unfair and cruel this was for her. She wasn't certain she had enough chakra to even completely fuse the bones, she didn't even want to begin thinking about sealing up the wound.

Fixing bones with chakra was a heavy going process. It took a lot of chakra, time and a lot of precision in alignment. Ultimately it was not a desirable process as setting the bone and allowing it to heal at its own pace was many times better. Fusing bones with chakra never produced the same strength as natural healing, and continuous fractures and breakages could lead to a lifetime of problems.

Cold, tired and frightened was not the state of mind that one wanted to be performing this.

Not to mention the strange sense of abandonment that she still hadn't decided if she wanted to add to the mix.

How could a man carrying a load of a fully grown woman, manage to outrun say… a whole army of shinobi? Not that she expected anything near the size of the Uchiha army coming to her rescue. She had mostly just hoped on one. Maybe even two.

She supposed Shun had been toying with the likelihood that the Uchiha would not come after her. A foreigner medic was hardly worth the risk of their prized and much needed shinobi.

Foreigner.

That's all she was.

That's all she ever would be.

She could save and heal as many of them as she liked, but it wouldn't have make a lick of difference.

Refusing to think further on emotionally upheaving things, Inare placed her hands down on the wound and sent chakra through heavily. She had never tried forcing more chakra through her technique, believing a lot of it would just be lost as waste.

In a righter state of mind, she probably would have never done it anyway. Needless to say, her current state was anything but right.

She worked for what must have been twenty minutes, draining her chakra reserves faster than she had ever before with her mystic hand technique. At random intervals she would probe through to the bone to see the progress.

Focusing on the one spot on her body were warmth was present. Her mind so focused on the word, she let body almost imagine that warmth spreading through up along her leg to pool at her stomach, before it radiated all the way through her body. Easing with shivers. Calming her breathing.

The pseudo warmth only lasted as long as her focus did.

A lantern crashed down between them, lighting up her pale and tired face and his startling blue eyes. One look put her whole body on alert.

"Now, medic," he began with a forced cheerfulness. In the small light cast over his face by the lantern she could see a red smear of the remnants of his blood underneath his nose from when she had managed to break it with her knee.

A strike of pride went through her at the knowledge that she had succeeded with something against him, but her conscious quickly shot it down at the reminded that she was the most injured of the two.

"I hope we can be more civil this time around."

"I was hoping that too. But the hole in my leg tells me that tells me you aren't really in for civility."

"Well then we have both caught on to each other. So there's no used in putting up the injured faun act-" "I don't do-" "- when I could feel you healing yourself from a mile away."

Her scowl faded, while his grin widened. Fine. You got me there. She wanted to snarl at him, but that would only play into him more. Her leg was healed to a barely functional level. But she was no shinobi trained in combat, so by her estimations she only had a couple of minutes of heavy movement before her temporary fix of her leg would give in and send her to the ground.

Not to mention her fitness was poor at best, only managing a couple of seconds heavy sprinting before her body collapsed entirely. So how she would managed that with her damaged leg was going to be interesting seeing as the rest of her body lacked the strength to support her.

Inare directed the conversation back to Shun. "Well then. Seeing as you brought me here to heal your people I might as well go ahead and do just that. But, I've already used up nearly all my chakra fixing my bone so that I may walk again and let me tell you, injured medics aren't really practical. The imbalance in chakra as their body is naturally healing them can affect their use of medical ninjutsu." She informed him. A severe look on her face.

So maybe it was a white lie. If he knew otherwise then she would put it down to lack of experience, if he didn't, that it might stop him from harming her again. Your normal physical injury didn't distort chakra balance, they just hurt a lot. Which for Inare, was uncomfortably distracting.

She'd rather go without any pay.

"You are not here to heal any shinobi. We do not let strangers aid our clans progress. When the Kaguya Clan finally reclaim what it rightfully theirs, we will do so with our own strength."

His words caused Inare to look again.

She had not expected him to respond like that.

Gone was the playful glint in his eyes that he had offered her back in the Uchiha encampment.

"The return of our queen is what it is all for. Our end goal. It must happen. And soon." A scroll appeared from somewhere in his long cloak and he threw it at her. She just about caught it in her sprained hand. Looking down at the scroll then back up at him, Inare felt the beginning of a shiver creep up on her.

It was as if that playful attitude had held back the instability in this man's sanity that was seemingly falling apart before he eyes.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she mumbled, scroll clutched in one hand as she brought it to her chest. Not like that flimsy bit of paper in the wood casing would provide her any protection from this man, but it was something to put up between the two of them.

"Of course you don't understand." He was on his knees before her faster than she could register. A startled gasp left her as she unthinkingly tried to use her injured leg to push her backwards which resulted in a shot of pain to travel up her leg and a useless scramble backwards.

Pained tears prickled her eyes, but his hand flawlessly moved to wipe the tears away before sliding along her chilled skin to sink into her damp hair. "You could never understand, because you have not seen what I have." Large hand raked their way through a to pull a handful of her hair over her shoulder and towards him. Before bringing the strand up to press them against his lips.

Her who body on edge, her heart raged in her chest as terror swept over her body. A shaky breath left her and she leaned away from him.

"Hair of fire." He mumbled. Face now pressed into the hand with her hair.

She shook her head fiercely. A frightened thought told her to deny whatever he thought she was. "It's not."

"Restless eyes." His face was too close.

"It's been a rough few days," she chattered out.

His breath fanned her face. "You're the first." He spoke breathlessly. Relieved almost.

"You've got the wrong person."

"I thought so too. You aren't strong. I feel next to no power in you. But he said so, he said the time is right. He said the first would have hair like fire and eyes of eternal restlessness."

"Then he is wrong."

His eyes widened in a spark of anger, "He can't be wrong!"

The outburst caused her jump, the terror finally displayed on her face and Shun looked a little bashful. He then smiled and in that moment Inare wanted to curl up and cry. He was mad.

He was utterly mad.

"W-w-who is he?" She almost demanded, but fright and the cold made her words sound weak and chattered. She repeated her words again when he didn't respond at once, this time managing sounding more concerned. He released her hair finally and Inare leaned back and moved a little.

He looked away, uncertain of his thoughts. "He isn't a he. He's… more of an it. A memory… a… a voice." Shun's voice sunk to a deep baritone, his eyes shadowed as he almost tried to remember who this person that had been telling him this nonsense was. "He's always here… I hear him… even now."

"Shun," His name tumbled out of her mouth uncertainty, "there's no one talking but you and me." Inare attempted. Hoping that his name might pull him out of this trance he had put himself into.

He looked confused for a seconds, before a smile was back. Wider, toothier than the last. His eyes so wide that she could not make out their blue, but only the white that sent shivers crashing over her. "Maybe your right," he whispered, barely audible as he looked away from her.

Hope burst in her heart for a moment, Inare sucked her lips in and waited for him to see some sense.

Slowly, so slowly, he turned his gaze back on her. Smile even wider.

"You can't understand. You'll never understand. Only I understand him."

She needed to get away from this man.

"Help me understand Shun." She burst out with. It had probably never occurred to him that she didn't want to understand, and initially it hadn't occurred to her either. She shifted backwards. If it got him talking and calming down, she would be willing to listen. But Inare wanted to be anywhere but with him right now.

Both hands landed on her thighs, gripping tightly as he pulled her towards him. Inare howled in pain as his hand dug painfully close to her tender wound.

His knees in between her leg, his hands released her legs to cares her face forcing it upwards and towards him. Inare could do nothing as adrenaline course through her body and she froze up entirely.

His features had a serene mixture of madness and cheer, as he smiled down to her almost lovingly. "Don't fear. I will remove it from you. Then you can join her and with her you will find it," her breathing came in short and vented bursts. Inare didn't want to be with her. "She will bring you peace, a lasting peace that will soothe your dreams," A peaceful gleam intensified as his eyes softened, and his smile became gentle, "My R-"

The eruption was loud to drown both his voice and the shockwaves enough to unsettle the structure of the tent. It came crashing down on both of them, miraculously the wooden supports missed them both or she might have had another broke limb to deal with.

In a painful scramble of limbs, Inare pushed and sharpened her chakra to her hand and sliced open the material of the tent. She managed to pull herself out just as Shun was rising to his feet within the collapsed tent.

A knife shot out between the material and Inare knew that was her cue to have been moving a whole minute ago.

* * *

The fight was initially heavily concentrated to the sides of the camp, although that had been expected. The idea had been to drag them towards the darkness where the Uchiha's with their sharingan would have dominated the battle.

But it had not taken long for them to realise their strategy and their battle had to progress inwards. It was not an issue, the first fifteen minutes had substantially reduced their numbers and they were already at an advantage with their larger forces.

Not taking any time to give them any chance at taking control of the battle, Madara urged his section forwards towards the centre of the camp.

He artfully dodged what appeared to be a spear heading his direction. A second one followed only seconds later and a third one after that. Madara didn't know where the fuck he was getting all these weapons from, but from the weird way he was manoeuvring his arms Madara was beginning to suspect that he was pulling them out from them.

Which really took a few moments to get his head around.

After which, he put a little but more effort into avoiding all contact with their weapons.

When the long range attacks had not achieve anything in slowing him down, Madara engaged the Kaguya clansmen with his fists. But the man managed to put some distance between the two of them and withdrew two more bones that he used like blades slashing and thrusting.

The Kaguya clansmen's new strategy forced Madara to backpedal, taking cautionary steps backwards while narrowly dodging each slash from the bone-made-weapon.

Madara threw four shuriken from one hand, which the Kaguya man predictably deflected with ease. Using that to his advantage, Madara charge within the brief opening and leaped into the air, crashing down on his opponent feet first into the fuckers face.

Grinning, Madara could feel his skull crush beneath his feet, but he didn't stop there continuing on to stab the man directly in the heart with a kunai that he did not bother to recover. Red eyes swirled around the scene to spy three Kaguya shinobi that had chosen to go against him at the same time. Understandable, but Madara was rapidly becoming disappointed with this clan.

Once you got over the yuk-factor of their kekkei genkai, there was not a whole lot more to them. Although one think he would give them was their aggression.

Not a single of these opponents looked as if they were holding back. He liked character.

Shame that it would not be enough for them.

The three charged, each drawing a weapon from a different part of their body. Madara was sure he spotted a femur and humerous, but he couldn't decide if the bones they were withdrawing from their forearms were ulnas or the radius, he didn't know the difference. Yet none of them had gone for any bones below the leg.

As gross as it was, this was doing wonders for the small amount of bone anatomy he knew about.

One of them lunged forward with a kunai, small blessings, and Madara looped his arm around the attackers arm and pulled upwards snapping the bone. Which quickly prove to be a horrible mistake as the now protruding bone rapidly elongated itself.

Madara narrowly dodged it, but felt the sharp sting of a cut on his cheek.

Now pissed, if not a little disgusted, Madara dropped to ground and kicked his opponents legs out from under him. A moderately awkward manoeuvre with his fan strapped to his back. The other two took this opportunity to attack from behind, but Madara and foreseen this and was already in the filling his lungs to unleashed the kanto.

All it took was a quick spin and the heated air left him lighting the dark battlefield. Only one of the two was able to avoid burning to death in the intense heat of the kanto, but not unharmed. The burns to his legs slowed him down enough to allow Madara to pull out a second kunai and drive it down into the sternum of the shinobi that was trying to rise.

That left just one, and Madara really didn't have to worry too much about this fellow. But then it happened just as his opponent tried to slab him with what Madara suspected was his collar bone.

It was a flicker, tiny and near forgettable with such a turbulent environment of clashing chakras and weapons, the crashing thunder above them and only the brief flashes of lightning to guide the Kaguya clan.

Still, to his honed senses he still for some reasons found it.

That tiny little spark of her chakra.

He grappled for his opponents wrist which he twisted, forcing him to drop the bone. Punched him, then removing his fan from his back swung a powerful hit onto his centre. The man went sailing backwards and didn't get back up.

"Daichi!" He shouted over to his second, who was currently engaged with a nimble fighter whole backflip landed a had kick to Daichi's arms that had him dropping his kunai. Madara intervened by crashing his fan down on the woman's thrusting weapon, shattering it rather than forcing it to the ground. He'd forgotten for a brief moment there that they were bones.

He saw her eyes widen at the surprised interference in her battle, but her attempt to reel backwards was not fast enough as Madara delivered a heavy punch that had her dropping to the ground.

Daichi then wasted no time in taking over and plunging his weapon down into her torso before she could rise back to her feet. This being battle, there was no time to spare. "With me, now!" Madara commanded as he lead his second away from the battle.

* * *

Her steps were jaunty at first, giving her the moment to shove the scroll into the folds of her clothing. She must have walked like a newborn as she hobbled along the pain that had suddenly erupted into a dark clash of flames, screams and fighting.

How these shinobi were managing to send off torrents of fire in this pouring rain Inare couldn't tell, nor did she spend any time contemplating as she began to pick up rhythm and she had moved into a uneven movement that was halfway between jogging and a crawl as she kept one hand to the ground to support her weakened body.

Less than a minutes since she had begun getting away and her whole body was soaked. Seeing the faint light of daybreak from above the tree tops, Inare was horribly aware of how exhausted she was. She was having to desperately drag her body through the Kaguya camp, her body low so that she was lessening her chances of getting caught in the cross fire.

The earth near shook when earth jutsus broke the ground, sending her stumbling to the mud. Weakly, she attempted to push herself up, screaming when her leg chose now to completely give up on her.

This cannot be it. It roared through her, the frustration and anger at how everything she had fought to live this far was going to fall apart as she lay on the muddy ground, soaked to the skin with her leg refusing to answer to her movements.

"This is not it." She screamed as she pulled herself to her knees, hands on the ground as she tried to get up onto at least one leg. Everything hurt too much, and listened too little.

She wanted to scream.

She wanted to cry.

She wanted to kill that fucker Shun.

Gouge that terrifying smile right off his face. Rip his arms off so that they could never harm her again. Slash those eyes out of existence so that they could never look at her.

She crawled out of sight behind a collapsed tent that barely hid her form. Rolling onto her rear, with shaky hands Inare tried to do something with her leg. Dropping the scroll she had for some stupid reason kept with her, like that was going to protect her, she gripped with shaky hands her leg. She regretted her decision instantly as her muddy hands probably seeped dirt and bugs into her wound.

Inare felt the frustration leak out of her as tears, biting hard down onto her bottom lip as the pain from her leg shot up and she was helpless to the sob that racked her body.

Cursing for everything that had led to this moment. Inare curled in on herself as another sob threatened to escape her. Looking down at the damn scroll she cursed it too! Releasing her leg she grabbed the damn thing and shoved it into the folds of her clothing. She was going to destroy the damn thing in front of the fucker.

"Miss Medic! I know you're here!" Her ear easily picked out his sing song tone of voice that sent shivers down her spine of the loud band and crashes of fighting.

Her reaction was instant as she recoiled at the sound. Pulling open the flaps on the small one man tent where she was hiding she painfully pulled herself into it. In the damp darkness of the tent she felt around wildly for anything that might help her fend off this man if it came to it. Finding nothing but a bed roll and random items, Inare shook in rising terror as she began to crawl out and away to the next tent along. Again, nothing. Cautiously glancing around the side of the tent, she looked to see if she could spot him.

The fighting seemed to be concentrated to the sides of the camp. Knowing that she had to get away from that fighting, Inare began shuffling now backwards and towards what she was hoping was the rear of the camp, Inare slipped inside another tent. It took nearly all her energy to semi rise to her feet while keeping her body low. Once inside she closed the entrance and dragged herself to the back. Body shivering, she wrapped her arms tightly around herself to preserve a little warmth.

Outside she could hear close footsteps. "I know your near Miss Medic."

Her heart raged and she pulled her legs close as she clasped her hand over her mouth to restrain her loud whimpering. This cannot be the end!

How fucking useless am I? She silently cried out, her head ringing from the scream that she internally wanted to release for the word to hear.

Useless.

Useless.

She couldn't keep herself safe, she couldn't defend herself. Depended on others for protection, for food and shelter. Dependent on her master for guidance.

At what point had she stopped living for herself? Living by her own effort?

Instead of the fear, Inare was beginning to be fuelled by anger.

Her hand smacked around in the dark for something, tears pooling at the corners of her eyes as she realised that if this was to be it for her, then she would make sure he didn't walk away undamaged. But as her hands continue to land on empty air she could feel doubt creeping into her. She didn't want to die. She didn't want to die here.

How could she have become so apathetic to her own life? Thinking that going about the way she had been was fine… living for the sake of living… when has she become so cowardly? Life, her life, was a weapon. Her weapon, she could spend it, gift it and loose it. But on her terms. Only on her terms. I did not come all this way for this to be how I die!

Her hand landed on something long, heavy and metallic. Inare could have laughed in that moment. It was blunt, unable to find any sharp parts of it. Not preferable, but it would do. She brought the instrument to her chest. To her weakened body it was heavy, but her mind didn't not recognise that weight.

With an effort she pushed herself up, head bowed so as not to touch the roof of the tent, driving the instrument into the ground and leaning heavily onto it. One step at the time she reached the end of the tent. Pushing her eyes up against the entrance Inare looked out into the dark stormy night for any sight of the crazed man.

A timely flash of thunder lit up the dark sky, offering Inare a glimpse of her pursuer slowly stalking his way through the tents, keeping a low profile, likely to stay out of line of the fighting. The fight had drawn closer since she last looked, and that unnerved her. She only had a few minutes before it was completely upon the two of them. Who was to say that the attacking shinobi would be in favour of helping her?

Shun had moved away and out of her sight. Inare sighed in relief, before waiting a moment to open the tent and exit.

With the metal pipe firmly in her grasp, Inare used it as a sort of walking stick to help her to continue moving away from the fight and her pursuer. She tried to keep as low of a profile as possible as she limped her way through the tents.

Every now and then she would bob her head up over a tent to spot Shun in the distance, and then moved in the opposite direction to him. She needed to make her way to the forest, out of sight of all shinobi.

Turning she moved as fast as her injuries would allow, her pipe helping greatly as she moved now with greater speed. Still her leg throbbed in a heated and howling pain. Teeth biting into her bottom lip, she felt the worried skin break and blood begin slowly seeping into her mouth.

Her pace slowed to a halt as she gasped in the uncontrollable pain. Her head was throbbing as if her skull was cracking open on its own. Her fingers were frigid with the cold, and her body had begun to shiver.

She could not keep this up. The fight was less than a hundred meters away. Shun would have a hard time getting her out of the fight, he might just give up and leave her.

Inare decided that was optimistic thinking.

Either way, she could not carry on. She could hardly ever think any more, her mind drifting in and out of focus. Her breathing laboured from the effort to just move, to keep breathing.

Just the forest. Fifty meters, that's all it was. She could make that. Under the cover of the forest she could lay low, wait fo-

"There you are."


	10. Chapter 10

I don't own anything but OC's.

* * *

 **Chapter 10**

* * *

 _The fist gripping her smaller hand could have broken it. Probably quite easily too._

 _Kirno in strange moments could exuberate a strength that she'd never passed onto her young student. Inare admired that about her. She could remain level headed no matter the situation, which Inare chalked that up to be being a medic for a number of years prior to meeting her and having dealt with a large number of casualties in less than favourable conditions._

 _Inare had yet to experience treating an individual outdoors with nothing but her hands and having to return the innards to a dying body in the small hopes that they might live. Nor had she ever had to heal an individual under the stress of a live battle._

 _There's were things that she had just not yet experienced._

 _While it was never outwardly said, Inare had the faintest impression that Kirno had done all of this, and more._

 _So when Inare panicked at the sight of her very first bleeding, crying, screaming and thrashing patient. She froze. "Useless," was screamed at her as she was shoved out of the way for Kirno to take over._

 _Inare wanted to blame it on the fact that she didn't have the experience, but a stronger part of her would whisper that it was just her character. That she would never have the strength to overcome fear and the stress._

 _No more had that been apparent that when Kirno had pulled her out of the line of fire of a barrage of shuriken. Inare had been left in a frozen daze as Kirno took over and near pulled her arm out of its socket to drag her towards cover from the attacks by the Yotsuki Clan._

 _Inare remembering crying to Kirno, begging her to take her home._

 _"Useless," Kirno has snarled at the young child, dragging them further away from the fight as the village behind them burned, the smoke that blew over them a perfect cover for their escape. There was never really a home._

* * *

"There you are," his voice started from behind her, gleeful in his discovery of her hiding spot. His hand smacked down on her injured leg. The sharp pain that sprung from her leg combined with the terror of Shun finding her and Inare almost fell to the ground. She barely managed to catch herself on her walking stick slash possible weapon.

Finding her balance quickly, Inare face Shun. He'd backed away a little and had begun to slowly circle her.

"Look at that. You look absolutely furious. Had enough yet? Give up sweetie while your still able to walk."

Inare ignored all his words, as she leaned heavily against her support. Shun began to advance on her again, closing up the short distance between them.

"Don't come any closer!" She warned him.

Shun paused, his face lighting up with curiosity. "Oh?" Then a smile grew. "And if I do?" Making another step towards her. Inare could only manage a feeble shift backwards as she tried to make up for the distance between them. He was only an arms span away.

Inare shifted her legs to give her weakest one the greatest support she could. A flash of lightning lit the sky and both their eyes where momentarily blinded to the dramatic change in light.

The pole tightly in her fist, Inare lifted it and swung it straight around at the man without restraint not wasting for a second while she had the slightest chance. It made impact with his skull and Shun fell to the ground, momentarily stunned. The movement disrupted Inare's balance and she followed him to the ground.

Shoulder smacking into the mud, Inare gasped in pain as her leg twisted horribly underneath her.

Still in a daze from the impact with his head, Inare had a moments head start to crawl over closer to him before raising the piping over her head and bringing it down over his middle with as much force as she could.

It wasn't enough, she needed him to feel the extreme pain and fear she had. Crawling closer she moved to straddle him dropping her weapon as she used one hand to support herself.

Her fist slammed down unto Shun's face, her eyes wild with the delight at finally having the control. That he was hurting, he was being wounded by her. Her fist wouldn't stop, she no longer had control of her body as her fist pounded down again for a third time.

Her lack of control was her downfall as Shu deflected her next punch leading her to make impact with the ground and tilt her far enough to her left that Shun rolled over their positions to straddle her.

Once again her leg was twisted and she howled in pain of her leg and as Shun's fist met her cheek. Inare waited for more to come, for him to loose himself as she had, but he didn't. Instead his hands wrapped around her neck and he leaned in, "Sleep for now." He hissed, saliva splattering over her face as his jaw was struggling to stay in place after she had beat his face. The pressure at her neck tightened and her mouth gaped open as she desperately tried to draw in air.

Her fist flung out wildly to hit him, missing as he leaned his head out of her reach.

Pale blue eyes looked down at her with glee, narrowing as her fist managed a light smack on his face.

She gripped the arms that where killing her and dragged her nails right down the length of then, gouging out skin and leaving trails of blood as she went. The pressure lessened as he removed one hand to deliver another punch to the same cheek. Weaker than the fist.

"Bitch… just stay still…" his grip tightened again as black spots where beginning to appear before her, her hands now reaching his face and she dug a finger into one eye and forced her chakra right into it. Inare felt fluid erupt around where she had pierce before a howl of raged pain reached her ears.

The pressure on her neck vanished. Air flooded her lung and she gasped it all in.

"You bitch!" He howled as he returned to her, a palm spreading over her face as if he was trying to crush her skull with one hand. "You just have to stop!" Inare's hands dove for his face again but where held off by Shun's free hand that gripped and twisted her already injured wrist that it felt ready to snap.

"Sorry-" was all Inare vaguely registered before Shun was flung right off her. The weight of his body vanished and Inare was startled into a sitting position. Her head was spinning, a heavy headache had settled on her that made her just want to lie down and sleep… but she couldn't… the was no time…

Shun was thrown a good few meters to her left, groaning on the ground holding the left side of his body. His face contorted with pain as his breathing laboured. Suddenly aware of the presence to her left, Inare slowly turned to face a tall shinobi with what appeared to look like a giant mace supported over one shoulder.

A flash of lightning revealed a near manic grin spread over his face. "-but she's my medic,"

Large steps followed, one that took him right over her body, as he advanced on Shun, who Inare suspected had been the victim of pure blunt force trauma inflicted by, what she now knew, the Madara's war fan.

He advanced onto the shinobi till he was at his side and dropped down to one knee. A kunai appeared in his hands and Inare gave a little gasp, "and a injured medic isn't very useful." Then kunai plunged downwards to the broken man, impaling right into his skull.

Inare wasn't sure if it was relief that flooded her in that moment as she witnessed Shun die. That the man could never terrorise her again was a pleasant thought, but that did not mean things were all good from this point onwards.

Yet the vague sight of a kunai sticking out of a man's head, his body shaking as is struggled to establish a connection with its head before falling deadly still had her emptying her filling her lungs in one both awed and disgusted gasp.

Inare felt like she might faint as the last shred of energy chose that moment to leave her body.

"I got you Inare." It was Daichi's gruff voice that spoke, and it sounded heavenly to her in that moment. He appeared from behind her instantly placing a hand at her back, supporting the weight that had been ready to drop back to the ground. Inare tiredly nodded in acknowledgment to the shinobi.

Looking up somewhat gratefully at Madara he met her eyes and Inare felt her herself take a deep breath of relief. She watched him then give Daichi a nod. "Get her out of the fight and make sure she lives passed the night." He had no soon finished his sentence before he vanished.

Inare was left in awe at his disappearance not really understanding how it all could have happed so quickly. It was only the firm grip at her shoulder that seemed to ground her into reality.

"Aye." Daichi responded, despite the fact that Madara was nowhere in sight, before his arms slipped under her knees and he made to lift her up. Not even stopping at Inare's delayed panicked yells of, "Don't! Don't! My leg!"

He lifted her and she screamed when the bottom half of her broken thigh bone slipped out of alignment with the top half.

Daichi's kneejerk reaction to undo his lift as quickly as possible was to near drop her as he dropped to the floor with her still in his arms, resulting in her heel then hitting the ground sending further thundering shocks of pain right up her leg. Now sobbing, Inare had bit right through her lip again.

"Shit, shit, shit," he chanted, sounding oh so very sincere. Which Inare didn't give two shits about as she flung out every possible curse she could think off towards him. "I didn't meant to. I need to get you out of here. How do I lift you?"

"You don't!" She snarled through tears, her voice hoarse from her scream.

"I have to move you."

"You have to carry me. While supporting my leg. The bone is broken right through."

"I only have one set or arms here." "Think of something." "A stretcher?" "Preferable, but you need two people." She was actually crying at this point from the pain, biting out each word bitterly. "Realign the bone first." "I am not doing that." "I may not walk again. And you will be responsible for it. Realign the bone, now!"

"How?" Daichi snarled back at her, his visible frustration conflicting with his willingness to act. After some quick instructions, Daichi was kneeling on her injured side with one hand holding her thin waist and the other grasping just under the knee. "On three."

"Don't do that!"

"Do what?"

"Count."

"So what do I do?"

"Just do it randomly." She sobbed out, her horribly wounded body and psyche not able to endure the anticipation if he actually counted down.

"Whenever I want?"

"Yes. But don't let me know!" Inare was looking away and gritting her teeth the entire time, her whole body tense as she waited for the pain to come.

"Okay. So I won't count then." Inare wanted to start shouting at him again for acting so dumb, except she just ended up letting loose a painful screech as he unexpectedly began straightening out her leg. He wasn't doing it right, he was hesitating too much and she could feel every grate of bone against bone. Her howls of pain pitched through the fight as her bone was finally put back into place. At the final pull, Inare's second, and uninjured, leg swiftly kicked him in the chin.

He fell backwards cupping his chin and also howling in pain. "You bitch! You did that on purpose."

"Fuck you, I did not!" She lied, but now Inare was satisfied he would never repeat that same mistake to anyone again. Also learn to keep away from her when she was injured.

With her leg straightened out, Inare then instructed him to grab wood and she tightly strapped thick wooden branches to hold her thigh bone straight. She had used the material of her dress skirts as the bandages, and now her skirt was at a ridiculous length halfway between her ankles and knees. The tight support dug uncomfortably into her skin. Still, her leg would hold out till she could properly begin fusing the bones. If it wasn't already too late for that. Not to mention if she lived passed the night.

Dacihi tried one more time to lift her, this time just ended up having her thrown over his shoulder with her upper body dangling loosely over his back while one of Daichi's arm was holding at the waist and the other gently at the back of her injured leg. The pain to her leg remained horrendous the entire time she was rushed out to the final rendezvous point of the division sent out to attack the Kaguya clan and where the reserve group would be waiting on command.

There she was greeted with an awful sight of five shinobi that had been evacuated from the battle, three suffering serious blood loss and trauma and the other two mild but incapacitated for now.

Despite her worrying low chakra reserves, Inare directed Daichi to leave her near them so that she could begin helping them as best she could, even in her own feeble state.

* * *

The edge of his war fan parried downward and away from his body as a strike from a white haired nameless shinobi that had pulled bone after bone from his own body to use as weapon.

The familial dojutsu was incredible in its deadliness, one to be cautious of as an unexpected rib bones shot out from his opponents chest like projectiles towards him. Shifting his grip on the handle of his fan, Madara then used the wide flat surface to take the blunt of the attack while he sent his sickle flying in a large oval to come flying towards the both them and lodging directly into the back of his opponent who went down heavily after blood erupted from his mouth.

Pulling out the sickle with no great sense of urgency, Madara looked up to the now decimated camp of the Kaguya. He had been aware that some had likely escaped, but decided that was something he could let slide. He had not been there to annihilate their clan, only destroy any chances they had of endangering his own.

They'd learn not to come back.

Tents, bodies, clothing, food and weapons lay flattered to the ground, now all under a layer of cold mug. The rain was beginning to lessen as faint speckles of daylight could be seen to the east. Rolling his shoulders at the tension that had built up in them over the last few months, Madara groaned at feeling of his joints loosening up with all the battling.

His time away in the northern camp had been extended unexpectedly when a separate group of shinobi from Kamizuru clan had decided to push southwards in order to attain greater strength to take on the Kamizuru.

It had led to an unexpected temporary alliance between the Uchiha and the Kamizuru, as the two worked tirelessly for a whole month to reduce both of their enemy forces to nothing. Their operations had been on small scales, consisting of no open battles.

It was sly, snakelike approach to war, every battle having taken place under a moonless night sky. Madara would not deny having enjoyed himself, yet the stress of having been away from the eastern front bore heavily on him the entire time.

That he had only returned for fifteen minutes to find that the foreign medic that had caused him so much trouble had either been kidnapped or extracted, was a moderate shock that he could have done without. Yet upon seeing her fend for her life, Madara had no doubt which of the two scenarios had occurred.

He had not slept in three days, and he was beginning to feel the effects. Especially if he was impressed in the wild manner that Inare had fought that one Kaguya shinobi. From a distance she had eradiated a certain madness that he had always enjoyed on the battlefield. A consuming euphoria that would spread through his entire body.

He had not seen or felt that sensation since his last battle with Hashirama now nearly three months ago - possibly with the exception of those two earth ninja he had encountered with an unusual dust release.

Seeing Inare fight with that same mad desperation.

It had been thrilling to witness.

Madara did not think he had ever seen her so alive. Alive with such fury, energy, desperation…

It left him longing for another fight with Hashirama, if only to burn off the restlessness that had built up over two and a half months in the northern territories.

Grinning to himself as another Kaguya shinobi began charging in his direction, a desperate war cry accompanying him. Madara shifted into a stance to parry the oncoming shuriken he had thrown in his direction. They bounced off harmlessly from his fan, and Madara with great strength whipped his fan creating a strong air current that pushed his enemy back enough for him to make the hand signs.

Madara was midway through the sequence for his jutsu when heated air washed over his enemy like a wave.

After looking mildly disappointed at the collapsed, screaming charring shinobi that failed at escaping the blaze as he double over onto the floor, Madara turned his attention over to his brother who had delivered the katon. Izuna waved over to him with a competitive grin.

Not interested enough to join in, Madara decided to let his brother have it and flipped him off in return. Izuna cackled and sped off to regroup his team. Madara's team already knew what they had to do and did not need him overseeing it.

From a distance he could see that Isshin's section were already regrouping.

The battle was over it would seem.

The sun was now in the process of rising, yet the sky still remained a dreary grey and the cracks of thunder could be heard from the distance. Madara wanted to groan at the awful weather. At least when he'd been at their northern base he could see the sky.

Isshin had begun approaching him quietly. Madara caught his eye when he was a couple of feet from him, the section two leader greeting him formally with none of his usual snide tones. Madara nodded silently for him to continue. "What are we doing with the prisoners? There are fifteen badly injured, but breathing, and four that surrendered."

Looking back over what was once the Kaguya camp, now nothing but an empty field dotted with craters, weapons, tents and amenities.

He repeated to himself in his mind that they were not here to entirely obliterate the Kaguya clan, only destroy their chances of endangering his own clan.

With that reaffirmed, he turned to Isshin. "Leave none alive."

* * *

Isshin flexed his hands, feeling the strain of each finger. Looking down at scared hands, he could see and feel the telling signs of blisters forming on some fingers. It had been a rough night and Isshin had dived right into the fight without restraint.

Yet could not find a single sign of Inare.

While he wanted to ask his clan leader if the medic had been retrieved, he knew that doing so would only get himself reprimanded. And he had been on probation by Madara's orders enough times to know that it was best avoided.

His team were in charge of the clean-up and swept through the clan ensuring that there were no surviving shinobi.

The entire time Isshin had kept out keen eyes for the sight of auburn hair.

A raging storm combined with the battle had utterly destroyed the camp beyond recognition, leaving nothing but broken tents to stand out like crooked wooden headstones in a unkempt graveyard.

As there were no orders to deal with the bodies, they would let them rot in the ground, so in a few days this place would be a foul and diseased place. Isshin made a mental note of the area in case his team were sent out on a mission this way, so that he could take them well around this battlefield.

After his sections task was done, they began slowly advancing back to the final rendezvous point where they would regroup with the entire division. And from there, back to camp.

Isshin did not think he would ever be so glad to be returning. Battle in the rain was always more draining. He was soaked to the bone, his head was throbbing and his back hurt.

He wasn't one to too often complain about back ache for fear of sounding like an old man, but now he really wanted to whine about it. He wondered idly is his sister would be willing to give him a back massage for returning safely. Maybe even Inare would be generous.

The thought was cut short when he realised that both women would likely look at him sinisterly and refuse him flat-out. Still, asking them would be a fun tease.

He really hoped that Inare had been secured.

Looking around at the familiar but unclose faces of his team, Isshin missed his usual team. The three misfits as he had dubbed them in his own mind had a unique dynamic that Isshin - depending on when he was asked - missed.

Jian had not been selected for this mission and remained back at the camp, but Toke had. Which had concerned Isshin the entire battle just as much as Inare's safety had. Although he was in the reserve, Toke had the least experience in his team and while the boy would be ashamed to admit it, did tend to require the most assistance.

The reserve had not been deployed in the end, which gladdened Isshin greatly, yet he still sped up unconsciously for the last few meters just to ensure that Toke was still there and in good form. He might have also been a little concerned for Daichi who would have been in the heavy battle as Madara's second in section one.

Through the dense forest it was difficult to see very far, but once they passed the checkpoint of the temporary base Isshin quickly spotted from a distance Toke's unique light brown scruffy unkempt hair with a nauseatingly dirty sludge green headband that Daichi had given him, pushing it all off his face.

A smile of relief spread on him as he advanced to check on the boy.

As he got closer the smile only widened at seeing that Toke was supporting Inare's back and leg as she appeared to be doing something to her openly exposed, quesrtionably splintered, thigh.

Upon seeing a scrap of cloth between her teeth, and her strained face, he dashed over quickly. He dropped to a knee beside her, concern now having taken over his former relief. Covered in mud - in fact there was more mud than Inare- and from the little of her face that he could, see she was horridly pale.

The only part of her that was clean was her leg which contained no trace of dirt, permitting him to see the ghastly puncture wound of her leg.

Spitting out the cloth in her mouth she offered him a smile and croaked out. "Hi Isshin. Didn't think I would see you again."

Nodding silently in agreement to something he rather not have thought about, "You're okay?"

"Not yet," she mumbled, before looking up as Daichi returned with a red glowing kunai with part of his shirt wrapped around the grip.

"Shit. Your cauterising?" Isshin looked between Daichi and Inare, who both nodded grimly.

"I'm still losing blood. Not enough chakra." Her words where tired, her body was tired. She looked ready to pass out.

"I'll do it," Isshin offered, not really wanting to but deciding that he rather it was him than her given her current state.

At that both Daichi and Toke shared a look that Isshin missed, but had he seen would have likely correctly interpreted.

It was very much like the look that all three of them would share whenever Jian asked if he could any food they didn't want. To which they would always respond with a resounding never in a thousand years.

"No offence Isshin. But I don't like anyone but myself, or an equally trained medic, handling my injuries." Inare grumbled out, as she took the kunai off Daichi and sucked in a breath before shoving the scrap of clothe back in. Daichi took a step back and looked away while Toke grabbed her shoulder reassuringly. Kunai hovering over the still bleeding piercing wound, before she scrunched her eyes tightly closed and pressed the kunai down.

At that point Isshin looked away and focused anything but Inare's deep and long whine as well as the smell and sound of burning flesh. She held it there for what must have been a whole minute, before she quickly pulled it off her skin, melted skin sticking to the blade. The burned skin was an angry red. Inare's entire body was shaking, she spat out the cloth and panted deeply. Her teeth visibly gritted together while tears ran tracks down her mud smeared face.

Isshin wanted to tell her how strong she was being. He didn't, thinking that wasn't what she really wanted to hear. Instead mistakenly attempted to lighten her pain by commenting. "Well, at least that's over."

Inare huffed a short laughter before slowly shaking her head, "Exit side next." She panted out, her face flushed with the effort it took just to speak. Isshin winced at not remembering that the Kaguya shinobi had stabbed a bone right through her thigh bone.

"You're doing great Inare," Daichi thought to cheer from the side-lines, a healthy distance away from her and her limbs. "When this is all over and you're back on your feet, I'll show you the proper way not to get your leg impaled by someone."

She laughed dryly, looking over at Daichi with bloodshot and tired eyes. "'Cus' that just happens so much around here," she seethed out.

"You'll be surprised," he came back with and Inare couldn't tell if he had picked up on her sarcasm at all.

"Should we flip you over?" Toke spoke up from her left drawing her attention.

She shook her head again. "Won't reach." She passed the kunai back to Daichi, managing to get out the words 'clean' and 'reheat', before her body collapsed against Toke's support releasing a shaky breaths, eyes drifting close.

Toke gently shook her back to consciousness, reminding her that she had told him to keep her awake. She smiled gently at him and commended him for his effort, before then snarling at him to let her fucking rest. An injured Inare was clearly not an Inare that anyone wanted to deal with.

Isshin briefly wondered how Toke and Daichi had coped this long.

Toke blanched and looked stunted as to what he should do, but kept to her orders and kept waking her up despite her protests. Daichi returned soon with the reheated kunai and both Isshin and Toke helped her move her leg so that she had access to the exit wound.

The process was repeated. This time Inare dropping the kunai halfway through the minute. Isshin again offered to take over but she refused, just in a not-so-polite way.

It was not something that he wanted to be around for, feeling useless the entire time. Once she had cauterised the entire wound, Inare then seemed to collapse against Toke for good this time, her body shaking.

Relieved that her face was no longer contorted with such agonising pain, Isshin stood remembering that he should have reported to Madara upon his return to the rendezvous point.

Both section leaders, Izuna and Madara, were already together. Which was no surprise to Isshin as he was the one that was late. Madara looked a little annoyed at his late arrive and commented. "Took you long enough."

"Sorry sir. I had to check on something."

"The medic," Madara commented. Seeing no reason in lying, Isshin confirmed, "She needed to cauterise some of her wounds."

"And were you the one cauterising them?" Izuna asked, looking equally annoyed at having been kept waiting. Madara at this point did look mildly concerned.

"No. She did them herself."

"Then there was no need for you to be there. Don't keep us waiting next time." Izuna continued, before he looked at his brother.

Madara gave a curt nod, choosing not to comment, before he continued, "So the mission was a success. Scouts reported only three shinobi managing to get passed them, but I hardly think they will be returning this way any time soon. Let's get everyone home. The reserves team," he looked at Izuna "will be providing perimeter support while the rest provide as much support to the injured as possible. Other than that, we keep to staggered file the entire way. Isshin, you leading with your section, my section will provide rear defence. Keep the injured to the centre." It was a standard formation, but the confirmation needed to be given by the operation leader.

Quick nods, and everyone moved out to begin passing down the chain of command their next movements.

All the Uchiha shinobi moved like well oil machines, not a single pause of hesitation once their orders had been relayed. In their order of march, they moved through the forest without rush. The pace was kept to that of the slowest man, which was Inare as she hobbled along with one arm slung over Toke.

She categorically refused to be carried, and after Daichi showed off his bruised chin no one really wanted to carry her. Toke held pretty much her entire body weight, and an hour into the slow trek he began to tire as for most of it he might as well have been dragging her as she seemed to fall in and out of a dazed or unconscious state.

He swapped over with some random shinobi from Madara's section who scowled and snarled foul remarks the entire time till Daichi just up and took hold over the honourable duty of dragging her, snarling and complaining just as much.

When they braked halfway, Inare drank all of Daichi and Toke's combined water supply in three deep glugs. Incredibly at the break, Inare mustered from somewhere the energy to half hop and half drag herself over to the three severely injured and check their injuries for any problems that may have occurred during their transportation.

Much to Toke's outrage she began using what little chakra she may have restored to begin healing a deep and concerning wound on one shinobi. When Madara gave the order that they should continue on, the party rose and they slowly headed off again. Inare knew that she wasn't really thinking straight, but this was necessity for now. She couldn't entirely figure it out in her mind that moment why, but it needed to be done.

With her arm now slung back over Toke, she now actively hopped-slash-limped and their party's speed increased fractionally.

Inare visibly tired after only a short while, and her speed dropped nearly to nothing till she gasped out to Toke for them to stop. Toke tried to reassure her that they were just over a kilometre away and if she wanted he could carry her there quickly. Inare, remembering what being carried a quarter of that distance had felt like on her leg, refused and was on the verge of begging him to let her rest.

Frantically looking around for Daichi he passed on the message that ended up going to Madara.

Madara refused to halt their advancement, but permitted that she rest and placed Daichi in charge of the section while he would remain with the medic. Daichi took over the section, Madara advanced through and assigned Toke as a runner to inform both Izuna and Isshin before taking Inare to the side and out of the advancing division.

He leaned her up against a tree and she slid down it quickly, landing harshly onto the floor. Wincing and cursing gently the entire way. Panting, her eyes where closed as she leaned backwards, a near sickly shade had taken her complexion.

Not saying anything, Madara leant against the same tree waiting for her to recover enough to move again.

Her panting has lessened to nothing after a couple of minutes, but she was showing no signs of wanting to get up. The division, now that they could move a lot faster, had probably nearly reached the camp by now. It was barely over a kilometre away.

Irritation that derived from his own tiredness began to rise and he told her to get up. From her lack of response he figured that she had likely fallen unconscious once again, and leaned down to pull her up by her arm.

Making to take hold of a thin arm, Madara was shocked when she smacked his hand away with a good deal of force. She looked up to him with dark eyes, and slowly made to get to her feet alone.

Stepping back and letting her have her dramatic show of independence, Madara made no move when she nearly fell. If she wanted to do this alone, no matter how careless it was to her injury, then he was not going to stop her.

She took almost as much time steadying herself as she had resting and Madara's patience had near reached its end.

Three days of barely any rest and minimal food, and now he had to endure this?

"Ready?" He finally asked when she looked a little less fragile. Instead of demurely standing and annoyingly struggling her way towards the camp, she shocked him again when her hard eyes levelled him with a dirty look, "Get the fuck away from me." It was weak, but the ferociousness was unmissable.

Taken aback, Madara did not respond as she turned her back on him and began to limp painfully slow away from him. Now understanding a little more what was going on here, Madara waited till she had gained enough distance before he spoke.

"The nearest town is twenty kilometres in the direction you are going right now. The nearest water source is twenty eighteen. Give or take, you could probably make a kilometre in an hour. If you can actually keep to that course and not stray, and given the frequency at which you require a break, you may reach that town by tomorrow evening. That is if you don't take breaks of more than ten minutes."

She ignored him, continuing to limp her way. Despite having told himself that he would not move, Madara did take a few steps before he continued.

"Then again, by any smart persons estimation you won't make that trek. At least three Kaguya shinobi managed to escape, maybe more, and will have drifted off randomly, there are many ronnin that dot this area who will rob, kill… and to a lone injured woman are likely to do much worse."

Still she refused to heed his advice at which Madara grit his teeth in annoyance at her sheer stubbornness and took a few more steps.

"But let's say chance works in your favour, and you defy all odds and manage to drag your body to nearest town all the while avoiding every possible dangerous individual on the way." Now he was walking to catch up with her, which did not take long.

"What money or tradable goods do you possess on you right now that will get you food, water and treatment? Which by the time you get there you are desperately going to need."

She stopped as he rounded to stand in front of her, which was when he saw the tears streaming down her mud splattered face. She stared up defiantly at him, brown eyes telling him that she believed she could defy those odd. Which when he remembered that she had made the trek from the Lightning field, Madara for a second thought that maybe she might.

Pausing for a moment, Madara quickly rethought his next words.

"You are a smart enough woman not to make such a careless decision based on your current fear and pain alone."

The sneer that had been on her face since she had stood on her own, now morphed into a bitter humour. The sad transition painfully familiar to Madara. "What have I done in life… to deserve this?" The question really was not meant to have an answer, anyone could see as clear as day that she was just venting. Did not mean he had to care though, "I have healed that worst kind of scum alive. I have healed people that hate me. I have saved lives of children on the verge of death as often as I have held them with bloody hands while they died. I have been a good person," she bit out the word with a struggle, voice breaking and more tears trickling from her eyes. "So why do I have to suffer with this pain, this life, while someone like you gets to be all fucking fine and dandy all the god dammed time.? You who kill needlessly. You are so filled with hate. You who…" her words died off when she openly sobbed.

Madara's featured remained impassive as he looked down on her, seemingly unaffected by her words. "Go on." He urged her, and did exactly that as fury burned in her eyes and she broke like a damn.

"You, who have the support of a brother. You, who is strong enough to protect yourself. You, who can just do whatever the fuck you want." Her hands rose to roughly shove him away from her, which backfired and nearly sent her toppling to the ground if Madara had not unconsciously reached out and steadied her. Which only pissed her off more.

"You have everything that you could possibly want! And I have to live here, in these horrible lands with people that hate me! Why must I live like this? With people chasing me down in the rain and hurting me… and…and… I don't want any of this!" She smacked the hand supporting her off before attempting to shove him away again. This time she really did stumble and fall and Madara did not stop her from doing so. She fell fast and hit the ground hard, her eyes cringing with the pain that must have shot right up her leg.

She sobbed a little longer, and Madara remained impassive till she stopped crying. No longer feeling the urge to rush her, despite his own impatience.

"Have you finished you self-pitying?"

"Yes!" She snarled, restless fingers pulling and digging away angrily at the grass within her reach. Glad that she had at least acknowledged that, Madara dropped to a crouch. "Now breathe. Slowly." Her mouth stuck in an unattractive frown, but she breathed in through a blocked nose.

He gave her a few moments of just breathing, "have you calmed down?"

Her frown dropped, and the bitterness that had filled her face followed. "Fuck off," she responded with none of the previous venom, her face still drained of so much.

Sighing out at that, Madara felt his exhaustion come back and hit him full in the chest. "Good," he mumbled in response as he rolled onto his rear and crossed his legs, facing Inare as she continued to focus on the ground.

"Life right now is fucking shit. And it's not about to get any better." When she seemed to be completely ignoring him Madara sighed out the irritation. The build-up frustration and irritation from the last few days seemed to follow and all the sudden his body felt heavier. He just wanted to sleep already.

"I won't insult you by telling you that my clan bares no animosity to you. Uchiha have been very cautious of anyone that is not family for many years now. So I understand that can cause a strain. There 'aint anyone here that'll argue with you on that.

"You have done a lot of people some good today, yet at the same time what is good to us is bad to someone else out there. But I really couldn't give two shits about any moral conflictions right now." Inare briefly glanced up as she huffed a tiny laugh.

Despite himself, he grinned a little at her humour. "You've lost a lot of blood, your tired, in pain and probably hungry." Pushing a hand against her forehead to feel the heat he had expected to find, "not to mention a little feverish. So I'm not taking anything you said personally. I just seem to be the unlucky fucker that had to be around when you decide to have an emotional breakdown."

"You say it like there a choice in it all," the ferocity of her words was definitely weaker than before. Madara figured that was progress.

"In your metal state… nope, there is no choice. But you still have a choice to make here. You can leave, or return with me. Either one you make, there is no one here to stop you. It is your choice entirely.

You can carry on and likely kill yourself before the day is out, or you can stay here. Where you can continue to help my people, even if they are still to prideful to admit it I am not. I won't attempt to persuade you towards either choice, but I will say that I am grateful for what you have done so far, and I would like for you to stay."

Nodding slowly, Inare remained looking down. "I don't want to be here."

Her response stalled him, and he caught her downtrodden eyes when she eventually decided the browning grass was no longer interesting. Eyes that were sunken into her pretty face that looked older than he suspected she was. Dried and broken lips, swelling and bruised face. She looked both broken and whole. Grounded and so very lost. And he knew she wasn't talking about any location, any single spot.

"None of us do."

* * *

 **Well that the end of this lil' three part 'arc' (I suppose you could call it). I wanted to get this all out relatively quickly so now we progress into the next stages...**

 **Let me know what you thought of this arc! :) Leave a review! I enjoy all forms of feedback, the good, bad and ugly!**


	11. Chapter 11

**_Thank you to all my reviews so far, It's always so encouraging to receive them! Also there has been a delay, finishing exams, getting wasted and moving to the other side of the country took a lot out of me and now working a 9-5 jobs leaves me even more limited… buut moving onto that drama._**

 ** _The story is getting ready to enter into a new 'arc' (I suppose you could call it) which takes place over the winter season when in my verse fighting is restricted - although they'll still be some fighting. From this point onwards there a lot more Madara and Izuna. I've kinda experimented with their relationship a bit… let me know how it goes over the next few chapters._**

* * *

 **Chapter 11**

* * *

On arrival to the camp she was quickly taken from Madara's assistance and rushed to the medics tent where her injuries where quickly assessed by Ebisu himself. Second later Inare found herself on a hard makeshift bed being held down by two men she had never seen before, as Ebisu cut open her leg to expose her thigh bone before he began fusing two broken pieces together.

The scream that was torn from her could have shattered ear drums. "Someone shut her up!" Ebisu snapped and what tasted like a month old sock was shoved into her mouth. Her gagging didn't stop her teeth from tightly clamping down onto it.

Inare really wished she had passed out before she'd lost her voice as she woke up hours later parched with a sore throat, which was one pain she really could have done without.

A day later she was recovered enough sit up without feeling like she would pass out. There was no comfort in recovering in a shinobi camp. Every day faced a new danger, and luxuries of a quiet room with a good breeze and a comfortable bed where just not going to happen.

Instead she had the privilege of resting in a stuffy tent, her clammy skin unwashed and her clothes sticking like a second skin in the most uncomfortable of places as she rested on the thin roll-mat that offered no comfort.

So for that, her initial recovery was miserable. The days where spent feverish, sweaty and hungry as she was too ill to keep anything other than water down and overall having a horrendous time. Hisoka regularly kept her company through the nights of her initial recovery, but left her throughout the day, with only Toke occasionally dropping in to check on her.

When the sickness passed, everything from her upper thigh down to mid-calf was constricted to a hard-set bandaging that would not let her move any of her right leg. As such, nearly everything was restricted and she now needed a crutch which she had inherited from someone. It was uncomfortable, lacking any padding for her underarm, but it was steady and kept her from toppling over. At least most the time.

Her recovery left her with a lot of time to ponder on the events of that night. Each of her actions were broken down and examined critically, and each time she would come up short of anything competent. It left her with no alternative but to accept that she was grossly incompetent for anything closely resembling combat.

The emotional upheaval she had felt in that one night had terrified her. Every part of her had been prepared to kill that man, even to die doing so. Her capacity to actually carry such act out had been proven insufficient, yet the willingness to commit to such a decision continued to unhinge her.

While she wanted to avoid thinking about the night, it was near impossible to do so whenever she would catch a glance of that damn scroll. That inoffensive thing had been flung across her tent during her boredom out of a considerable amount of spite, but still managed to find a way back to her roll-mat.

Inare could not bring herself to read it. Whatever had been it was enough to drive that Shun man insane. Something that she wanted no part in, and so she continued to successfully ignore the faint curiosity. Unlike her, the damn scroll had made it through the battle relatively unharmed. The decorated wooden coat having protected it from nearly all the damage, although now it was decorated with both mud and Inare's blood. Two things that she had come to really despite the last few days, even now she would occasionally find a random smear of her blood somewhere on her.

It would be an entire week before she could get a proper wash, and even then it was with a cloth and fell short of anything close to satisfactory. It would then take an additional week and a battle later before Inare could even bring herself to thinking about approaching Madara about that night.

She knew it had to be done. She wanted to avoid it at all costs, but if she was to move past this she at least needed to approach him about it. It shamed her beyond anything she had ever felt, to have shown someone, an effective stranger no less, such level of emotional upheaval. For her it was wrong in so many ways. She hadn't wanted to cry, just to be done with it all.

But she could never be done with it.

It took her much longer than she wanted to arrive at his tent, thankfully he was in and alone when she popped her head through. If he wasn't, she had told herself that she wouldn't come back. It took too much energy to hop over there. Too much of everything.

Without saying anything, she threw to him the scroll that she had kept on her person for the past six days.

"What's this?" Holding the water crisped scroll in his hands, looking up at Inare curiously. It was late and with her injury he expected that she should still be resting to recover, not standing at the entrance to his tent.

"Compensation for… helping me."

"I think the words you looking for is, 'saving' you."

"Whatever," Inare dismissed, "it's also so that you can't haul me up on keeping secrets from your clan. Shun, the man th…" Inare swallowed thickly, "well, he threw this at me and began raving about the time being right, along with some other crazy shit." Inare quietly shook her head at the memory of the mad man. "I only realised now the reason he was so persistent in following me might have been because I had accidentally taken it with me." Sighing out with a small nervous laugh to try and hide the scary fact that he had just wanted to get her hands on her for whatever reason his warped mind had decided. "Makes me feel a little silly now I think back on it."

He nodded, looking down at the scroll curiously, but didn't look as if he in any hurry to look at it. "He did not seem to be in the right state of mind. That you got away is praiseworthy to your tenacity for survival… or just your luck."

"God's know that can't last," she snorted. Brushing her clean hands off on her brown apron. It was clean this time, surprisingly, at least clean in a relative sense. It still bore all the blood stains and the like.

"Anyway. Compensation done. I should b-"

"A thank you wouldn't kill you."

Inare made a face. "Yeah, you know what? I don't think you really care about receiving thank you's. That you even helped me to begin with is still a little surprising to me. One foreign medic should be disposable," a hand waiving in the air dismissively. She hadn't intended it, but her bitterness still leaked into her tone.

"Whatever opinion you may have of me, which you are entitled to have and frankly I don't care about, know one thing: I am not the war monger you seem to keep implying that I am, nor do I take my clan into battle for my own entertainment. And you are wrong, a medic, foreign or not, is never disposable."

Inare wanted to laugh at his statement, but held back on the account that the sincerity in his tone didn't hold even a trace of arrogance or false confidence. At least not to her ears. "I'll take your word for it," she mumbled, shifting uncomfortably on her injured leg.

Strange details came to her mind that she had never through to notice before. The crusted mud, or blood, around his nails. The faint scars along his hands and forearms. Gaining a little confidence, she lifted her attention to his face and quickly noticed his sunken eyes, greyed complexion and matted hair. The beginnings of a stubble of his face and his seemingly smooth skin was dry and flaky in areas.

War was taking a toll on him the same way it took the same toll from everyone. She couldn't quite put her finger on why she thought he was coping better than most. He was just human after all.

Inare could complain and whine as much as she wanted, but she didn't have to put up a front of strength, support and leadership. Even if she did, she would be able to find someone to vent with.

Who did Madara have?

She supposed he had his brother he cherished so much, but that man seemed too stern and single-minded to let himself unwind. "Your right. I may have been a little superficial in my initial opinion of you." Inare would not apologise for it, but she would at least acknowledge her mistakes in judgement.

Swallowing her uncertainty away, she pulled out the bottle that she had stacked in the drawstring bag she'd slung around her uninjured side. She had plans to down the whole lot on her own behind some crate, allowing herself wallow in drunken glory. Out of sight and alone. But now having witnessed his strange display of slight openness, she wasn't sure she wanted to be alone anymore.

"So…" she drew out, her mind still not really made up. "…as a way of truce…" Shaking the bottle gently to let the sloshes of the content be heard, Inare offered him a lopsided smile, "…fancy having a drink?"

* * *

"War really is hell. Whether you win or lose, you always loose more than you get. Still, while the winner can count what they won on their fingers and comfort themselves by saying that what they lost was the price they had to pay for it. All a loser can count up is what they lost. Allies they couldn't protect. Enemies they could of cut down." A deep drink from the bottle, she set it down between them. "Really makes you wonder what it's all for in the end."

Madara swiped it up fluidly. "There isn't. Whether your victorious or you're defeated. No matter what you protect or what you lose, there's no meaning in it. No matter how you tidy it up, it's a pointless act leaving nothing but corpses in its wake." He downed the remaining of the bottle much to Inare's ire. There had just been under half of it left!

Deciding this would be the last time she ever shared her sake with him, she leaned back and thought about the direction their conversation had taken. "Damn, we are a couple of depressing people."

It had only taken them twenty minutes to empty the first bottle, before had Inare slowly hobbled away leaving her crutches despite the complaints from Madara, to collect her final bottle of sake. From where, Madara did not know, but wasn't going to turn away the gift.

It had been some time since he last drank, and while he would have preferred company he was more used to, he couldn't entirely complain. Most of those he drank with were already dead.

With the second bottle now finished, he half expected her to dash off and get another one. Although, even she clearly had a limit to her resourcefulness.

"Your drunk," he reasoned.

"That's worse," Inare returned miserably while stifling a yawn, "if we're depressed while drunk. What's the point in alcohol? It's supposed to make you happy and have fun, not sit around feeling sorry about all the world's problems."

"Then stop drinking, or thinking. Same things at this point." His eyes drifted shut as he faced up to the clear night sky.

"Says you. Your just as drunk as me." "I'm not. I'm clearly handling this better than you." "But we've drank nearly the same amount." She huffed out and shuffled besides him, only then remembering that he'd definitely hogged most of the booze. They were sat away from the encampment, but it had been a quiet few days and the scouts reports had given them at least another weeks of a warning before any Senju would be within attacking range.

"Madara." Inare hissed out. Silence. Again she hissed his name. Again no response. "You awake?" She tried one last time.

"Be quiet."

"I don't want to."

"You're a really chatty drunk aren't you? It's annoying."

"Better than the sad miserable drunk you are."

"Talk for yourself."

"I'm only depressing right now because you're here. Think of it as social pressure."

"Social pressure to be miserable?"

She hummed in agreement.

"That's a real shame," he idly commented, voice droning out.

"Like you care," her eyes were closed too, and if they stayed closed much longer she was bound to fall asleep. Knowing it was likely the same for Madara, she kicked his leg. "Wake up lazy. Go to bed if your gonna sleep."

"I'm not sleeping… just resting my eyes."

"Like I haven't heard that one before."

She sucked in a deep breath. Holding it in till her lungs burned with the need to release and her head chest began to quiver with the desperations. Loudly she exhaled. Why?

Petulance mostly.

She had her moments.

"Would you just be quiet?" He finally snapped. Sitting upright, she glared over at her visibly irritated drinking companion, joy spreading through her as her warmed drunken mind released an uncharacteristic giggle.

"You really should not be allowed to drink," Madara mumbled.

"Nope. I should always be allowed to drink… just not when I haven't eaten all day."

A brief roll of his eyes before he settled her with a hard stare. "Wait… okay… that is more my responsibility… but someone should really remind me of these things."

"You know what is find incredible?"

She shook her head, her long loose hair smacking them both. A dull stare greeted her once she was finished and she offered a sheepish grin as he continued. "That for all the intelligence that you clearly possess. You are strangely incapable of behaving with anything that vaguely resembles rationality."

She laughed. Melodic cheer flowing from her with ease. The alcohol made it funnier than it really was. "You're the second person to tell that to me. No quite with those words, she tended to be harsher with her words."

"Miraculous that you didn't die in between." He dryly offered. Despite her position in relation to this man, her unrestrained mind let her deliver a hard smack to his forearm. He rose a fine brow at her behaviour, but didn't raise any protest against her actions. In her drunkenness she would have likely just laughed it off anyway.

As long as she didn't act as such when they were both sober and in the company of his soldiers, he could let it slide.

"The first person that told me that was my master. Kirno, you remember me mentioning her." The blatant pride that she carried with her words made him snort at the misplaced tone. This girl was all over the place after a few drinks. "She was incredible." Inare whispered. "Horrible." The word came out choked. "She really could never tell you anything that even closely resembled niceness. Just as likely to kick you out as she was to show you some care." She went quiet. Leading back against the barrel, her eyes drifted closed. "I miss her." It was barely a whisper, but Madara caught her words clearly.

"You masochist," he snorted, leaning back against his own support, he followed suit and closed his eyes. Inare joined him with a soft tired laugh of her own. He then let himself reveal to her, "But, we all miss someone." She didn't hear, her soft snores coming quickly to his surprise. Then again, with the last few days that they had all had, he wasn't surprised given at how much chakra she had expelled not long ago. She must still have been incredibly exhausted.

While she had been clumsy at best, the advantage that his group had of having a medic on hand could not go overlooked. Three men he could have easily passed to blood loss if she had not been there.

It made him think of the benefits of having at least one medic on the battle field at all times. They were usually so confined to holdings and encampments, protected by their respective clans. Losing a medic would always hit hard.

Not that he would ever choose to have Inare on the field. Untrained, it was truly only because Daichi had kept so close to her that she had been relatively unharmed. He scoffed at his captains teams dedication to that girl. Isshin and his lot were persistent in ensuring Inare's continuous safety.

Not that he could exactly judge the man. Madara was exactly the same, if not more so, when it came to Izuna. As long as Isshin did not challenge his orders, he could continue to let him humour himself with thinking he could care for the girl.

With a sigh, he cast his eyes back over Inare. She would not be budging any time soon unless he got her to move. He should have just taken the bottle off of her when she first proposed they have a drink together. Alcohol was banned from the encampment, not that he didn't know the stuff went around secretly. As long as it was secret it didn't matter. He simply did not want large celebrations and loud, rowdy shinobi that would be useless.

Then here she was, presenting to him a forbidden item and even wanting share. Madara really could not decide if she was smart or not at this point. Rising to his feet, choosing now to be the end of their little drinking session. He nudged her hip with a foot. She grumbled, and curled in on herself.

"Medic." Madara grunted down to her. Now feeling the effects of the alcohol on himself. "Get up and into bed. You're a sitting duck out here."

She grumbled again, and seemed to completely ignore him. Dead asleep.

With a sigh, Madara crouched down and slipped his arms under her neck and her knees taking care to not aggravate her wounds. He hadn't wanted to carry her, she wasn't an infant but he didn't have much choice. With a slow lift, because he knew if he went to fast he would have fallen down. Not something he in his right mind could ever let himself do. A drunken clan head failing at carrying a woman, he could only imagine what the rumours would sound like.

It was a mild challenge to juggle Inare and her crutch, gathering all in his arms without dropping the sleeping woman. It took a moment, but he managed.

With Inare securely in his arms, he trudged back towards the centre of the camp. He didn't know where it was she slept, but he recalled seeing her a number of times sleeping in the medics tent. There had to be at least one mat there that he could put her on to sleep the night, and alcohol, away.

Not that she would be getting a nice wakeup in the morning with all the early morning rushing and activities. Ebisu would likely see her and kick her out for taking up precious space.

Entering the large medics tent, he saw a number of familiar faces that he had fought with a few mornings ago, most were asleep, two were up, one bandaged from head to toe playing cards giving them a curious glance. The other, Isshin, was startled to see them both enter. It must have been the alcohol that made him respond as such. He grinned at the man.

As he put down Inare on a free roll mat that looked like it had been occupied recently, his grin remained. Inside he was laughing at the shocked look on Isshin's face, as well as laughing at his own stupidity at letting himself be brought down to the level of teasing the captain.

He laid Inare down gently, pulled over a nearby blanket and lay it over her. Each move deliberate and gentle. He would have just tossed the blanket over her if Isshin hadn't been there.

Rising, he gave her one glance over, before his eyes briefly touched upon Isshin.

Then left.

* * *

"There's something that I have been considering for some time now."

"This can't be good." Inare grumbled, looking decidedly hungover, her hair an unkempt mess and her face a little swollen. Leaning heavily on one crutch, Inare shifted to rest her hip on a tall crate that contained weapons. Tiredness evident in all her features from the darkened eyes and the fading bruises on her cheek. The split in her lip seemed to have reopened since he had last seen her, her dried lips made him suspect that she had been worrying it.

"How would you feel about training a small number of shinobi in medical ninjutsu."

She certainly had not been expecting that question from her surprise, he wasn't blessed long with the slightly gratifying look as it quickly morphed into unhidden suspicion. "Why?" She didn't even try to hide her instant dislike of the idea.

"You saved three of my men the other day that, in any other situation, would have died. I want more people like you… that can actually fight, out in the battles to provide quick relief to the injured. So in that sense, completely unlike you, but with your healing skills."

She bit her lip, wincing when that irritating habit of hers ended up with her biting the deep slip on her lower lip. "Don't hold back on the praises there," she grumbled.

"I try not to," he quickly responded so that he could direct the conversation to his suggestion. "So?"

"I don't really like the idea."

No surprise in her response. Ebisu complained at her lack of involvement in anything other than direct healing. While she was dutiful in her healing job, she always attempted to keep an emotional distance. She would rarely ever aid with the deceased, as all the medics did. The only time he had ever heard of her doing so was the time he had near forced her to.

"Why is that?"

"You heal them in the field… and they get right back up and right back into fighting. Only to probably end up dead because they are not well recovered. I know what your people are like. They have no restraint when it comes to a fight." Breathing out slowly, Inare tried to school her emotions on the topic. "As a medic that has chosen to practice the art of healing and care. I cannot condone that."

"That may be true for some, but do not judge them all by that standard. To ignore that, is condeming them to a needless death that could be avoided." Madara hummed, knowing that he would do the same in the field. "By that logic, you shouldn't be condoning all that you do now."

She looked down silently to the ground, disturbed emotions in her eyes. "We don't always have the choice in these things." Once again the concept of choices rose between them, and Madara was beginning to get the faintest impression that she went by her life believing she had no choices.

"Well you have a choice now." Rising to his feet, Inare took a step back when he approached her, landing a hand on her shoulder. "I am asking you, not as a Clan leader, but as someone who is tired of seeing my family dying day in and day out when there is that slim chance that they could live a little longer, if there was someone to help them in the field."

Swallowing guiltily, Inare hated him in that moment for speaking to her like this. Why did he chose today of all days to make her feel guilty about stuff. She was already emotionally and physically exhausted, the hangover seemed to tie together her misery quite neatly.

"Train just two people. That is all I am asking."

"What about your other medics?"

"They are all busy right now. And with you off your feet," glancing down at her bandaged leg that did not touch the ground and the heavy leaning against the makeshift crutch, "mostly, your time would be better spent training other people to help out. It will lessen the burden on you and the other medics."

"Do you really want four people off the field and sat with me learning all the dry stuff about healing?"

"No, not right now. In a month, after we pack up and head to the outpost to dig in the for the coming winter. We use the winter period for training and development, as well as recuperation. That is when you would have the freedom to train them as much as you are willing to."

Inare thought that through. By her estimations she still had at least four months before her leg would be fully functional. Not straining herself while working with the other medics did sound appealing, and would lessen the burden on her recovering leg. The winter would be a time when she could rehabilitate her leg and slowly bring it back to functional use. She grimaced at the thought of such a long time being classified as injured.

"One."

Raising a brow, Madara looked down at her questioningly.

"One?"

"I'll train two of your shinobi."

He could have laughed at the sudden determination on her face. So she thought that she could bargain with him? "Four."

Making a face, Inare bit the inside of her mouth. "Two."

"Four." The exact same tone and with the exact same face, it was obvious that she had got nowhere in this haggling business she had started.

She decided to caved on two, seeing that she would likely only get out of this by meeting him halfway. "Three, and I won't train any more than that."

"You'll training four people."

"You think training medics is like going out, picking a dog and just training it to sit and fetch? Some people can and other can't, it's a nasty reality, but it's a fact."

He said nothing, just looked down on her, hand still on her shoulder. "Okay. You can choose them yourself. I'll pass out a message that we are looking for shinobi to be trained. You can decide for yourself who will be good enough."

"Fine." She brushed his hand off she shoulder nonchalantly, hoping not to come across as having been bothered by how long it had been resting on her. "I'll train some, if I can find any of your shinobi competent enough to even do the training. It can only be basic. Simple healing jutsu and the like… if…" and now Inare couldn't believe she was even suggesting this, "if you would think it would be advantageous, I can train others with some techniques that could increase the survival rate of your fighters. Techniques that don't involve chakra."

"I think that is an excellent idea." Quite enjoying how easily she gave into his suggestion. While her stubborn streak ran deep to the point of being brattish at time, Inare, for lack of better words, was a relatively good hearted person.

Too good hearted, that in this current age she could easily be mistaken as pitiably naïve. Madara didn't even think that she was entirely aware of her dedication to others. "I'll put out a message looking for volunteers, I'll leave the selection to your capable hands."

"If there is even anyone that could do the training."

* * *

With a recent turn of the weather, the ground was increasingly muddier and Inare had to suffer through the mud coated shoes and bottom of her skirts. It left the mood around the encampment depressingly down.

Even on her crutch Inare was expected to work with the other medics. It was frustrating but somewhat bearable given that she was delegated to deal with those that where healing. The Uchiha recovering from a stab wound was the good natured sort. Generous and likeable, always offering Inare his bread roll that he didn't like. It took all of two days before she could no longer stand his constant niceness.

Thankfully he had come down with a fever and had been sleeping for a number of hours, leaving her free of his pestering chatter. Her wound had definitely made her a lot more irritable these days, and she wasn't entirely against the emotion.

For the last hour it had only been her and Ebisu in the tent and with nothing really happening at the moment she slowly made her way over toward the entrance of the tent to wait on the students she was expecting.

Leaning against the sturdy wooden support pole of the tent with the most of the weight, Inare relaxed up on her injured leg.

"If we run out of hydrogen peroxide to vaporise and sterilise equipment and the environment, what would be your alternative?" Inare jumped at the sudden question and nearly yelped aloud when her injured leg jammed down on the grown.

Ebisu occasionally did this to her, suddenly appearing in her peripheral vision and challenge her with a question. Typically it was a range of symptoms which she had to quickly diagnose, and if she didn't do it quick enough then he'd walk away tutting.

Inare couldn't guess why he did this, keeping her on her toes and alert to multiple challenges or to just test her knowledge. Whatever the reason she definitely knew there was a right answer that she had to get and his judgement of her depended entirely on response. This was something that she took seriously.

Yet todays challenge was definitely different, her gut response of was only fuelled by the fact that this was indeed a predicament she had been in before.

A slow smiled grew on his face, "you've a sharp mind there."

A sly smile grew on her on recognising the compliment. "It has its moments," she honestly tried to remain indifferent to it but could already begin to feel her neck and cheeks heat up.

Snorting in response, Ebisu made to grin at the young woman when a cough was ripped from him. Inare instinctively lurched forward to assist him to a stall when his cough didn't stop at the one. "You alright there?"

"Just a tickle at the back of my throat," he hoarsely managed to get out before another cough was torn from him.

"Alright," she mumbled in response. The weather was getting cooler, so she supposed that colds and flu could begin to spread. If she could have Inare would have crouched down to his level to get a better look, instead all she could manage was clumsily offering him the glass.

She remained by him till his coughing eased and then some, moving away as he began to get his breath back after the coughing fit. When remaining was just awkward, she slowly shifted back to the entrance again giving him the appropriate space.

"So how did you get into learning the many complex ways in which a body can be pulled back together?" Ebisu wanted to know.

The question surprised her. It wasn't as if Ebius and her were particularly close, so he had no reason to know. Then again, there was nothing else to do so the man was likely curious.

"That's one way to put it I guess," Inare had to chuff. The aged man was the picturesque description of grumpiness. "My guardian began teaching me one day, she said at the time that it was either that or I likely go drafted to fight. I don't think I'd be much good in a fight. Panic way too easily."

"Hn. Poor medic if you can't fight."

"I've never needed to fight before," Inare felt like she needed to defend herself on some level, yet the unconvinced glance that Ebisu made down to her leg left her a little flushed. Like she needed further reminding of her incompetence.

"You? Did you… do you fight?"

"Fight!" He laughed. "Child, you don't make it far in this clan without being able to fight. Don't let age fool you, I could still floor you child."

Inare had to grin at that, even the youngest Uchiha's probably had better odd against her. "If you can fight, then why healing? What drew you to medical ninjutsu?"

"Sometimes it is not the desire but the need."

"You clan was low on medics then."

"That was the case. I must have been close to your age at the time, maybe a little younger. I suppose that my chakra was good enough, so I volunteered."

"That's sounding pretty familiar."

"I heard that's what you're here for?"

"Yep, I hear that too," not that she needed the reminder.

Inare was nowhere near being mature enough to have students. Not the mention that fact that they would all be well experienced killers, something that she was pretty uncomfortable with. At least she didn't have to teach them the basics of chakra and control, so that was one benefit of it all.

She just needed to handpick the shinobi with the best chakra control.

Inare had spent the last three days running up to this moments racking her brain through her own training to think of something, anything, that she could use to thin out the herd.

Her training had spanned over ten years, but as Madara had so friendly informed her this morning, she would only have the four months stationed at 'Hideout' in order to produce adequately trained medics.

Wonderful.

She certainly had her hands full. Except right now she only had one hand, as the other was permanently holding onto her crutch. "Yes…" she grumbled to herself.

Ebisu chuckled at her enthusiasm, reaching up to pat the hand gripping her crutch. It didn't do much to offer her much encouragement. "Never thought I'd live to see the day when a foreigner trained an Uchiha."

Inare snorted at that, "Well, I don't think you guys are exactly known for your medicine."

"We most certainly are not," he laughed at her retort, shaking his head in thought before finishing, "so maybe that's not all so bad."

Shifting on her bad leg a little, Inare had to lean against the main post that supported the medics tent to ease up on her bad leg. "We'll have to see about that. I was a shit student, so I seriously doubt I would make a good teacher to anyone."

"Don't weigh that so badly on yourself. Even the poorest of students can make a decent teacher, you have to be able to bring out the best in your student. I myself was an awful student, when I found that limitations that being a medic of clan began to impose on me I… well," he scratched his chin, "I suppose you could say I rebelled."

Inare waited for him to elaborate on that, as the cat-like smirk he held was very questionable. He didn't and Inare got the impression he was purposely withholding it. What does an disgruntled Uchiha medic consider as rebelling? Well, if his teacher had been anything like hers, then running away to heal victims of a war might be the case yet for some reason she suspected it was not the same. "Like I said, we'll see. First, my volunteers have to show up."

"You aren't meeting them here are you? Because if you are, make sure you get out of my tent when you start doing whatever you want," Inare hadn't even managed a nod of confirmation before she was effectively being kicked out.

She resisted outright frowning and instead turned her attention to the tent entrance. The sky was grey again, a permanent fixture for the last few days. It wasn't even properly raining, just like a permanent drip and it sure did make the day miserable.

It was well past the time when Madara had informed her that the volunteers would be showing up, and every second that passed and no potential student showed up Inare felt both glee and hints of disappointment.

If none did show up then so be it.

"You even expecting many?"

Inare shifted again on her leg, flexing the muscles as much as she could as an itch began to grow on the sealed leg. "No idea."

Behind them the was the tortured sound of a severely injured Uchiha waking up from a restful slumber. And he was in pain. Ebisu chuffed one last time before rising to his feet slowly and heading back into the tent, grumbling about lack of respect for his feet.

Inare watched him leave with a grin, glad that it was not her in charge of the man. Inare had been told that the man was impaled by a tree root, something that she was still trying to work her head around. Turning back towards the entrance, Inare was briefly startled at the sight of a young boy at the entrance.

Her first instinct was there was an injury, so she shifted and made to address him, but once she paid proper attention she recognised him.

He was out of breath and red faced, leaning forward while resting his hands on his knees. "Sorry…" he panted, "that," still panting. He didn't seem injured, and he began apologising so she wasn't expecting anything bad. "I'm late."

Slowly he began to stand and Inare rose a questioning brow at the large grin on his face. It wasn't often that someone came to the medics tent with a smile. Now that she thought about, late for what?

"Isshin had scheduled us for training all morning, and I lost track of time. But I am really excited for this Miss Inare! I will work really hard for this."

"Toke, what are you on about?" He couldn't have been a volunteer, she had complained consistently to Isshin for the last two weeks. She would have thought he'd have told her if Toke was volunteering.

"Yeah. Isshin said I should give it a go. I wanted to… but I didn't know if I could… you know? With the chakra control being really specific for it." His shyness was endearing, but Inare looked on sceptically. The two of them had messed around a few weeks ago playing with various chakra control challenges, he was nothing above average.

"Is that your new student?" Ebisu shouted from behind and Inare glanced back from where he was restraining a man while checking his wounds. Inare knew he didn't have long before the guy was probably getting a whack on the head to knock him out.

"I, err…" Inare couldn't respond. She was supposed to choose from a group. Herd out those with the best chakra control. Instead she had one boy, whose chakra would require immense levels of training to get it up to a suitable level.

"Well at least there's one," Ebisu sounded encouraging as he lifted a hand an brought it down heavily onto the resisting patient. Inare and Toke both winces as she watched on, then Inare turned to face Toke. A forced smile worked its way up on her face.

Well, at least she liked the boy.

* * *

"I heard you've taken on an apprentice. To be honest I was pretty convinced you'd not take on any at all."

Giving him a dull look, Inare didn't say anything and kept on pushing her food around and internally berating herself. Of course he would come over to say that. "It wasn't planned," she grumbled after a large mouthful.

"Even then, I cannot tell guess what possessed you to choose that boy. He would not have been my first choice in anything. He's clumsy. How Isshin has put up with him till now I'll never know."

"Okay, just because I've said that I've taken him on doesn't mean I'll be able to do anything with him. But regardless of the outcome, he wants to lean and to me that is move of an asset than anything else," she snapped at him. Something she still had not entirely convinced herself of, but she was definitely taking that as better than the required chakra control.

Raising both hands, Madara gave her a humoured look. "Just my opinion. Glad that you are serious about taking on the responsibility as a teacher. Although, not sure if I am all for those mother hen tendencies that are beginning to shine through."

"I don't have mother hen tendencies," her defensive attitude coupled with the crossing of her arms was too funny for him and Madara let out a snort of laughter. "You keep telling yourself that."

Inare motioned to swat him away as if he was a fly, while his chuckle lasted a little longer. When it died down, Madara stopped leaned against the crate near where Inare was finishing up the rest of her meal.

"Everything okay on your end?" She asked, not knowing why she decided to keep the conversation going.

"Same as it always is."

Inare nodded in understanding of what he meant. Glancing another look at him in his dust coated armour, weapons still on his person. "When did you make it back?"

"Less than twenty minutes ago. We were out for six hours. The fight ran eastwards into farming lands, mostly corn fields. The weathers been dry the last few days, we ended up setting the whole fields ablaze."

"You make that sound like a good thing," Inare muttered, no liking the sound of that at all.

"Someone's going to lose their work for the year. It was not a good thing."

Glad that he acknowledged that, Inare nodded again. "You're not injured are you?" Seeing that as the only reason for him to still be there with her.

A short bark of laughter. "No, I'm fine. It wasn't exactly a battle, we were just meant to be surveying the further reaches of Uchiha territory when we ran into trouble." He finished as his attention drifted to the sword strapped to his waist.

Madara then straightened up, as if he was waiting on something and Inare was beginning to get a little uncomfortable with him handing around this long. "Is there something else you want?"

He was fiddling with a chain that attached his fan to a sickle, making it look like the chain had come loose from the sickle. "Well… if you have a moment-"

* * *

"His body… it must… be…" Inare mumbled out as she stared down the lenses into the microscope as cells that were stained with a dye she had made the night before. Turning to face Madara with a face full of fascination. "I need to meet this man. See him for myself. His body… it must be incredible."

"Yes." Madara agreed, softly as if he didn't quite like having to agree with the statement. "He is quite… something."

"Well… who is he?"

"The head of the Senju Clan. Hashirama."

Inare nodded in interest. "And can I meet him?"

Madara frowned at her eagerness and stifled small chuckle. "Unless you haven't noticed, our clans aren't really on the best of terms. In fact, I'd go so far as to say we might be at war with each other."

"Alright, alright. You can cut the sarcasm. But these are the guys you go off to fight for three days straight?" Inare took his silence as her confirmation and gave a low whistle of respect. "Damn… no wonder you aren't gaining much ground. If you're up against people like that."

"They don't all share the same abilities."

"No?" "Just one of them." "We'll, all the more reason to meet him."

Resisting the growing urge of just throwing her out, Madara breathed out deeply. "What's so unique about him?" A question that sounded off even to his own ears. He knew exactly what was unique about Hashirama, he just couldn't get his head around it.

"Everything. It's a very well-known fact among medics that chakra is present in out cells. There is this pathway for which our bodies release chakra in a useful form. But you see, our cells sort of have, like, two compartments, right?" At his generally clueless look she concluded that fact wasn't common knowledge for him. Thinking for a moment, she changed her approach. "In a normal person, only one of those compartments has chakra… in his… both do!" She was grinning. The big revelation, finally out there… and he still looked clueless.

"And?"

Inare felt her whole body deflated realising that she was also going to have to explain to him the whole concept of cellular chakra. This stuff was still relatively new science, but it had been around for a while. If it wasn't for these damned endless wars, then advancement in its research would have progressed a lot faster.

"Fine… let me just try to explain this to someone who does not have the capacity to understand it." She waved off dismissively. Deciding that nope, she was not going to try explain all of it. At least not right now.

"Don't get cocky Inare." Madara warned.

With a small ignoring huff, Inare leaned back and sat on the edge of the crate. "The idea is that the chakra our bodies make, and the chakra out bodies emit… their not the same." Inare attempted to express the difference as her hands spread out as if she was holding a ball between the two. "One is… concentrated, dense, pure, raw chakra. It's unstable and will rip apart anything its volume can expand to. The other… is more user friendly."

"Our own chakra isn't," he paused, making sure he was getting this correct, "safe to us?"

"Oh, gods no. Pure concentrated chakra is horribly dangerous." While he admired her passion, her waving hands were beginning to grind on his nerves. "Have you never wondered why everyone will have an affinity towards a certain elemental state of chakra?" He grasped her hands in his own to stop her movements when one particular swish of a hand almost wacked him in the face.

Obviously he had never pondered on such things, because for the last few minutes while she had been explaining all this to him his face had shown only two expressions. Blankness and further blankness.

Inare liked to think she could distinguish the two.

"That's because people take on a sort of… specialized form of chakra, which is individual to all of us. The native form of chakra is the same for everyone. But the chakra that we utilise has almost been modified to only a fraction of its original form, and in the process individualised. Think of it as like a raging river dwindling out to a little stream."

"Your saying that we have access to a much stronger form of chakra?"

"Yes, but not for long. While we don't really know the exact mechanisms, somehow our body can convert this raw chakra into a much usable form. And it does it quickly. So… purifying it is very, very, very hard. There's only ever been two accounts of this, and both times… everyone died. It can't be contained, and to your average chap, it can't be used." Turning back to the microscope, and again waving all over the place. "Until this fellow."

Madara stood forwards and gripped both of her wrists politely, forcing them down onto her lap and gritting out almost pleasantly. "Continue."

Inare, looking a little shocked carefully removed her wrists from his grip and crossed her arms, now making a conscious effort not to have them flapping about.

"His body manages to actually hold this raw and unpredictable chakra plus his own, in unity. Do you get it now? This is… unbelievable. He needs to know that he is like… like… a gift to the research in cellular chakra! In a way, his body is far more developed than ours. Is there anything you can tell me about him."

"Well, he kind of heals pretty quickly. Right in front of your eyes sort of healing."

"Really? Well, chakra is crucial when our body is healing itself, which could explain that. I don't know, I would have to see this first hand to know exactly… If only I could my hands on his body… oh… the things I could do…" Inare looked back at Madara expectantly. "You sure I can't meet this man?"

"No! You can't damn well meet him." His shout was more comic than frightening, and Inare rebuffed with. "I can meet whoever I please. But you should probably introduce us-"

"No!"

"At least describe him to me. I'll go find him myself."

"Your obsessions right now, it's disturbing!"

"This not an obsession. Simple fascination."

"There's nothing simple about this. Less than half of that even made sense."

"I even simplified it! If it didn't make sense, it's because your too dense to understand it!"

"At least I'm not the creepy one that's getting all excited over-

"I'm the creepy one? Says the man who decided, 'yeah, I'm going to bring Inare this persons skin.' Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful, this has all been incredible. But what went through your mind when you made that decision?"

A small frown formed. His lack of response giving Inare the impression that he was only just remembering now that he'd been the one to bring that flap of skin to Inare. Confusion flashed briefly across his face. "The idea… just… came to me." He sounded uncertain, but looked as if he quickly settled on that being the reason.

Inare, unconvinced, nodded slowly with a sceptical look. "Just as long as it's clear that you are the creepy one here."

She got no response, so decided that she would need to get back to her more pressing duties. Cleaning up and checking up on her injured patients. "Well… if that's all. I have other things to be doing." Rooting through a box, she pulled out a scroll with an intricate seal painted onto it. "I'm going to seal this in sub-zero conditions. It'll preserve the cells, so I can have a better look when I've had a bit more of a think about all this."

A nod of approval from Madara, before he left her alone in the tent to clean up the microscope, stains and skin from his ultimate enemy.

His firm steps took him all the way back to his own tent. In the centre he removed his armour, letting it all fall to the ground in an uncaring heap. Then towards the single chair that featured in his room, he collapsed into it. A large map spread out along the table, and Madara quickly set out marking their advancement.

They had been successful in pushing the Senju back today. But if they didn't fix their position, then they would take it right back.

His map could only keep his attention for but a few moments before his mind shifted to the nagging thought that had not left.

She was right.

It had been a conscious decision to keep that small flap of skin that had stuck to his sword after a vicious encounter with Hashirama. That the skin had even stayed there defied most chances on its own. But to hold onto it. Not to mention the first person he went to happened to be the one person that would have actually permitted curiosity to let her look at it.

Ebisu would have snapped that he didn't have the time for this. Any of the other medics would have likely had no interest. Inare would have looked, no matter what. Why did he know that?

Shutting his eyes while resting his face in one hand, Madara tried to probe through his thoughts and most recent memories of the battle to try and recall what exactly had been going through his mind.

He followed back his steps, going backwards from when he entered the encampment after their victory. Backwards to when he was leaving the battlefield. He'd been carrying a small child that had been gravely injured.

Before that he had been fighting Hashirama for almost an hour and a half.

Before that.

Blank.

The discovery brought a deep frown to his face.

His memory could not be so poor that he could not remember something that occurred within the last four hours. He remembered the scrabble of the fight, pure reflexes and luck always brought him through the chaos of a battle.

Growling his frustration, Madara stood quickly.

Regardless of the reasons he could not recall the hour or so before the battle, or even certain parts of the battle, he did not have the liberty to dwell on the thought. They only had a week left to fix their position. It would be more of a case of holding out till the Senju backed down from the central river lands. Winters towards the east tended to be much harsher than they were on the west which would play to their advantage.

Pacing out of his tent, he decided he needed to be doing something other than planning their next movement. Izuna would return soon with the second division. His young brothers perspective on the coming plan would be helpful, so he would wait on his return before continuing.

They had to hold out just four week, then they would advance towards hideout to remain for the winter.

His instincts told him that the winter would be as harsh as that summer had been. Trading sweltering heatwaves for icy storms and snow-ins. He could only hope that the harvest would be good enough that they could make a strong start at the first break of spring.


	12. Chapter 12

I don't own anything but OC's.

* * *

 **Chapter 12**

* * *

Hideout for all its structural impressiveness, was cold.

Its large halls and tunnels that stemmed deep into the ground were airy, leaving no opportunity for warmth to gather in one spot. The only exception to that where the thermal pools deep beneath the structure. Unfortunately access was rationed and so Inare, along with everyone else, endured the cold.

And winter still had not entirely set in.

That was the most depressing through that crossed Inare's mind as she wrapped the thick outer coat she had stolen from the abandoned personal items of a shinobi that had died on her the last week at their encampment in the river lands.

As much as Madara had told her that her teaching would lessen her duties, it didn't entirely hold out when their final battle of the autumn left them with fifty dead. Twenty eight of which died while being treated.

Inare had the pleasure of dealing with six of them. One of the women that died while she was treating her had been sharing the same tent as her and six other women. She had always been an admiral woman to Inare. Never outwardly rude, but more disinterested in anything that did not challenge her physically. She'd been the kunoichi that had thought pooled with Inare to figure out how two Uchiha's had died during that Kaguya clan incident.

Her stuff had remained unmoved when they began packing and Inare elected herself to sort through it. The standard protocol was that anything that would be an extra burden should be set on the pile to burn.

It was only at Hisoka's insistence that she even took the coat and some of her other items of clothing. The extra clothing was welcomed for the winter, as well as some of the more warmer clothing that she had stored away in scrolls.

Her weapons had been handed on to another shinobi.

The fur lined coat was warming, and the memory of that woman faded each time she put it on in the morning.

The Uchiha final campaign in the river lands had not been to their favour. But not all battles could be. Moral had been low when they migrated through the grey and dying field and forests. The leaves had all fallen from their trees, and gone was the lush golden browns of autumn, the horizon slowly replacing itself with the cold darkness of winter days. In the week long journey between their last base and Hideout the temperature had dropped horribly and the days shortened to nearly nothing.

Her time at Hideout had been focused entirely to training her four students on everything they needed to know on medical jutsu. It was a slow process and took the fastest learner two months before they could actually perform the jutsu, even if it was a feeble attempt.

After they could all do it, it became a matter of practice, practice and more practice.

Inare would regularly repeat to herself Kirno's words. I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand. Repeat. Applying the same principle to her students, she dragged them to the training areas where they students began healing bruises, sprains before finally progressing to broken ribs.

The opportunities for them to practice on actual wounds were hard to come by, seeing as there were no active battles to the death taking place. Every now and then, some of the younger shinobi would be a little too enthusiastic in their training, giving her students the chance to practice healing cut and stab wounds.

It wasn't all chakra based, as she did go through basic principles of diseases, health as well as dedicating a whole day to hygiene that had been directed to a certain student.

There were some awful days at Hideout. Like when the shits had spread to about fifty shinobi. Inare had walked around the medics section desperately trying to hold down the bile in her oesophagus from rising further as the vile stench of staling and fresh shit hit her nose full on.

If she had been fully mobile she would had dashed in and out to lessen the effect, but seeing as she was still on crutches at the time… she wasn't speeding to anywhere.

Even the tightly tied cloth around her mouth and nose did nothing to lessen the smell.

The very potent sickness had which left the afflicted unable to move far from the… well normally she would say shithouse, but in Hideout there was a severe lack of them so they just now shat in one area of the forest to keep it all contained.

Four of the five medics had also come down with a healthy dose of squits too, so that left only Inare to try and sort the whole clusterfuck out seeing as Ebisu would refused to do anything.

Thankfully it was only the start of the winter and the snow was still very mild. So Inare had managed to sufficiently keep the shinobi hydrated, as well as warm. It was a hard task given that she couldn't really move quickly on her crutch.

Toke and two of her students where all god sends for the help they provided. Her three prodigal students. Fuckface, as she called the fourth one, was a nightmare that never listened or did what she requested of him.

The three were in charge of running around and keeping an eye on the shitty shinobi, while one by one Inare would begin feeding them the foul tasting medicine. It was slow for her too, as she had to hand make each one alone.

After a week of that hellish event almost all the diarrhoea struck shinobi had got better, yet it only got worse when over eighty came down with a cold and flu.

Winter had a really shitty start for Inare.

Inare seriously hoped that after the flue passed there would be nothing else that sprung up on them.

If there was one thing that Inare absolutely loved about the flu, granted it was the strange benefit that didn't apply to everyone….

"How you feeling now?"

Nothing like a good old dose of the flu to make a man's intimidation plummet.

Madara had looked up at her through glossed over eyes from his prone position on a bed roll in a section of Hideout that was closed off to most of the Uchiha shinobi. His face was flushed and skin clammy, his voice horse and had a permanently dazed expression.

"How come you aren't feeling like shit?" He had grumbled out, rolling over onto his stomach when she came to give him new medication.

"I've spent most my life around sick people. I'm near impenetrable to any sickness at this point, unlike some people," she grinned. Madara looked a little unimpressed at that, or just jealous. She laughed alone before clearing her throat. "Just teasing. No one can be fully safe from every disease."

He didn't respond after that, and quickly dozed off.

It had been the first time that she had gotten a chance to talk with him since before they left for Hideout. The winter time was designated to training and rest, but for Madara that didn't seem to be the case as he was constantly leaving Hideout to Izuna's charge to travel to other Uchiha bases. According to Daichi that is.

Inare did not really have the chance to even ask him as she gave him fresh fluids to rehydrate with, medicine and then checked on his progress. After that there was no reason to stick around seeing that he needed the rest, so she didn't.

She didn't see him again for a month after that small interaction.

It took two months before Inare removed the hard set bandaged around her thigh. Cutting away at it had been a foul and awkward event, as she didn't really want anyone else to do it. The revealed skin was pale, stinky, damp and dotted with various rashes but it was healed.

Though even if the bone was fixed, her muscles took some time to begin getting better again. So for another month she kept to using the crutch.

The days moved slowly in Hideout, slower than Inare had ever known days to possibly be. While it could have been the worrying lack of light that she was encountering on a daily basis or an array of other issues, Inare really found herself enjoying the relaxed pace.

As it would happen, so did every other shinobi in Hideout.

Festivities would occur every couple of nights, none of them huge but music and laughter could be heard all around. Feeling that she had been gifted with a rare sight of shinobi dancing, drinking, joking and loving rather than fighting and killing… it left her feeling a strange longing.

Inare enjoyed it. The sights of smiles and silliness. The sounds of awful singing and terrible jokes. The smells of open fires where chestnuts roasted and spiced wines simmered away. Even the reek of stale alcohol that had been spilled would spark memories of the festivities of the previous days.

The only issue being that while her cast was still on and then her leg still recovering, Inare could not let herself be dragged in by Hisoka to any of the dancing. As sad as it might be, Hisoka was still the only woman who choose to regularly spend time with her. Not that Inare minded.

Even at that moment, naked and sitting at the edge of an empty bath but for Hisoka, Inare found a strange sense of comfort and protectiveness that she hadn't ever stopped to think about. Hisoka missed the soft smile that graced her lips briefly.

"I am so glad that thing is off your leg. Washing is going to be so much easier now. It was starting to smell too, and look at the skin it's gone all…"

"Gangrenie?" Inare offered when she was visibly struggling with something polite enough to say.

Hisoka grimaced at the suggestion. "I would have gone with just pale, but I suppose you'd know better."

Inare laughed at her, before splashing some water of at the woman who returned it with just as much gusto. "Na, I don't really know much." Inare gushed, as she finished massaging the aching muscles then slipped into the hot waters.

Her bathing partner didn't have much of a response to her comment as her eyes where fixated on the long fleshy pink bulging scar that ran from the tops of her thigh all the way down to maybe a palms width from her knee. It wasn't pretty to anyone's imagination. Long, prominent and well… ugly.

"Couldn't… you know, heal it?"

"Doesn't work that way," although she wished it did. She was already scarred from the dog bites she had sustained some time before, although they were practically invisible when compared to the one on her leg.

It was still early enough that no one had awaken to use the baths, and it had been a solid week since they had got a proper one and both Hisoka and Inare where itching to have a relaxing soak without the daily rush.

The conversations they had where forgetful, yet it was these moments that Inare treasured.

As they talked, Inare would kick her legs in the water with enough strength to have some effect on her weak muscles while not over strain them. It tended to irritate Hisoka, but rather than speak up she just copied her motions. It would end up with Inare laughing at both herself and her friend.

A friend. It had a nice ring to it, finally having someone that she could regard as a friend.

Inare had come to enjoy Hideout a lot more when her and Hisoka had begun bathing at the same times. It should not really have come to much of a shock to Inare that her female bonding would occur in the place where she was the most exposed.

But Hisoka was definitely right, washing without her cast on was a lot easier. As she now didn't have to spend her baths with one leg out.

"Now if you can move your leg that much, you have no excuse to dance with me," she spoke like she was singing along to some tune, and Inare supressed a shudder at how keen that must mean she was.

"I probably shouldn-"

"Nope. I won't accept that."

"Then accept that I am a poor dancer, and am likely to break another bone."

"Which is why you let someone who does know how to lead you. I happen to be an excellent dancer." Inare tried not to roll her eyes too obviously. She'd seen Hisoka dancing, it was anything but excellent. Not having the heart to tell her that Inare continued with her excuses.

"I wouldn't want to rob you of someone else's company."

"Who else would ask me to dance?" Her irritated blunt tone told a story of its own, leaving Inare to think of Hisoka's overly protective brother that tended to always be in close vicinity whenever his sister decided that she wanted to enjoy the night with dancing and the fragrant spiced wines.

Inare could understand why anyone would wish to dance with her, even if she moved to music like a raccoon in the midst of a seizure. Her glossy black hair was complemented by her fine features and a face that was surprisingly unblemished by sun damage

"Suppose we could get you someone to dance with. Then Isshin would hopefully stop hassling me every time. He's like a hawk sometimes I swear." Hisoka winked as she leaned in towards Inare, and Inare felt a little taken aback at the suggestion.

"I'd rather just dance with you to be honest."

Glee lit up her face as Hisoka sat back quickly and slapped her hands together. Her grin only widened as realisation grew on Inare. Oh, Inare had walked right into that one. "Perfect! Then its settled and I wouldn't have had it any other way!"

* * *

One of the large and more structurally stable rooms in Hideout was near enough to being the warmest as well as having the easiest routes to an exit. It was large enough for a good couple of hundred of Uchiha to congregate, with enough space for dancing, eating and drinking.

At the centre there was a large pit that held a roaring fire which managed to warm the room enough that most had shed their coats and a few outer layers. Inare's own two jumpers were flung over the creaky wooden table where they'd previously been sitting to drink.

Inare had been forced to leave as Daichi and some of this other friends that she was not familiar with had sat down to begin a game with multiple dice. She neither understood the rules or the reason anyone would be willing to bet on their few hard earned coins.

Her instant disqualification from the game due to insufficient funds had nothing to do with her disinterest.

In a rare event, Inare allowed Hisoka to drag her off towards the heated pit where there were three Uchiha that have some talent with instruments playing a cheerful song that none knew the words to nor care to pay attention to occasional off key.

Regardless of what complaints she might have of the Uchiha, from their war tactics to their awful hospitality, she could not fault them in their ability to throw a party.

The alcohol flew freely, even more so for the women, and some men, as an pleasant smile secured them extra portions of both food, sweets and the blessed booze.

She was frustrated with the excessive amount of smoking that took place on such nights. With such little airflow through these caverns, the stench of tobacco would permeate her hair and clothing for an entire week till she bathed. At which point she'd attend another night of celebration and it would repeat itself all over again. Again, this wasn't something she could complain about per se, each to their own Inare figured.

It was also a rare event that a fight had yet to break out. It was pretty customary when gambling, a healthy amount of debauchery and music were thrown together, fighting would ensure. Since the arrival to Hideout, one night a week was permitted for this to take place and no one in senior command cared to stop it, and in most cases engaged.

Inare thought she had spied Susumu, Madara's second in enforcing encampment law and the such like, necking some woman drunk out of his mind one night. Although, she herself was very tipsy and half-asleep on the table that very same night, so she could not be entirely certain.

Up till this point Inare had no interest in involving herself in any of the madness that would occur in those evenings. Reason for which being that her leg severely inhibited her from any of the dancing that Hisoka wanted her to join in with, although secretly she would not put it passed herself to do something she'd severely regret the following morning.

A few days after their initial arrival to Hideout Inare had to ask what the purpose of the celebration was. Was it a special day for the Uchiha? Did they just do it to keep moral up during the winter?

Isshin responded with a reserved smile, "Life."

Initially Inare had not known what to make of that. It felt like a loaded word, then again it was probably a loaded question.

As she'd look around the hall at all the shinobi celebrating life, she then realised that many of them would not be there next year to do so again.

The strange thoughts that feelings that settled on her at that moment had been forced aside for a another day. Another year. Likely when she was mature enough to handle such emotions and capable of categorising such sentimentality.

For now, however, it felt like her arm where going to get pulled out of their joints as Hisoka span her around near viciously. Inare had to grit her teeth to not cry out as her particular jump sent stinging pain through her leg.

It settled relatively quickly but it was a stern reminded that she was not fully recovered. She took a break, at which point the two of them briefly joined Hisoka's brother and his team. Two glasses later and a good dose of banter and she was pulled to her feet again at the start of a song Hisoka claimed to love.

Not that she even knew what she was dancing to, Hisoka sang an off tune and out of pace song that did not sound like it belonged to the music. Inare didn't comment, but joined in with the swinging around and jumping, a grin an her face the entire time.

Inare may complain about Hisoka's poor dancing, but hers was far worse. She frequently smacked people in the face and stomp on feet. Three times in a single dance she'd almost set off a fight. A personal best of hers.

With all the energetic movements it didn't take long for her thigh to begin throbbing. So Inare slowed down from Hisoka's chaotic twirling and jumping that she was calling dancing to excuse herself. Not even the alcohol that had flushed her cheeks and left the tips of her fingers tingling helped her deal with the growing pain in her recovering leg. Hisoka was reluctant to let her go and Inare struggled to eventually get away.

Walking over towards the exit, Inare took extra caution to tread carefully while making a conscious effort to hide her limp as much as possible to prevent anyone, that would care to, from rushing to help her.

Once she was out of sight of the party she let her limp take hold and released the whines and winces that she had been holding in for the last few minutes.

Gradually, at her painfully slow pace, she made her away to one of the large exits onto the terraces that Hideout had. Only passing a couple of shinobi grumpily on guard duty. None of them happy to be missing out on the winter festivities. They gave her no attention other than a mumbled warning to not go far.

She nodded her understanding, but in the dark hallways it was likely that they did not see her.

Once outside she gulped down the frosty night air greedily, her alcohol flushed cheeks cooling. Moving close to the edge of the terrace she dusted the snow off an out of place stone brick, before sitting down and extended her injured leg, letting it rest for a moment.

It was a very dark night, and Inare could only vaguely make out the shapes and features of all the snow topped pine trees that dotted the horizon of this long forest.

She enjoyed parties, but there were too many people in there. More specifically, way too many Uchiha's.

As if it wasn't bad enough that some showed clear discontent with her the majority of the time, to be in a crowded room of people actively expressing distain at her presence really became claustrophobic.

Out here, there were no Uchiha's. No critical and judgemental glances, there was the smell of freshly fallen snow. Something that she really was enjoying for the first time in a while. The last two times she had experienced snow was the worst winter in recorded history in the Lightning fields, and when she had traversed the icy tundra on her long journey to escape war.

Neither time had been good.

Now she was free to enjoy it. Her and her throbbing leg.

Hiking up her dress passed her knee of her injured left leg, Inare leaned in to try and get a look at how swollen it was. Despite feeling swollen it didn't seem to be, warm to the touch leaving Inare to conclude that it was her just her muscles acting up. She left it exposed to the air, figuring that the cold would help a little.

It was likely the alcohol still cruising through her blood, but she didn't feel the cold all that much for the first fifteen minutes. It was after that uncomfortable shivers began to peak up.

Behind her the soft crunch of snow signalled to her the arrival of someone, spinning her head around in combined curiosity and irritation, Inare could only make out the shape of a large person with a lot of hair.

Likely a man.

He on the other hand seemed to recognise her at least as he sat down near her brick, legs dangling over the edge of the terrace, not saying a thing.

"Hello?" Inare asked, a little curious as to who this man was.

"Inare." She instantly recognised the deep voice and scowled a little, him being the last person that she expected to share her newfound calm with. While she didn't have any personal issue with Madara per se, it had been a while since she had enjoyed such solidarity. Within Hideout there, ironically, was nowhere to actually hide.

Refraining from grumbling aloud, Inare turned back to looking over the dark horizon, the shivers growing every now and then in frequency.

Her thigh was still throbbing, and now the rest of her leg was cold. Inare was ready to call it a quit when she noticed Madara looking in her general direction. She couldn't entirely claim that he was looking at her. The deep reds of his eyes, that if she paid enough attention, could be seen to be focused on her.

"What is it?" She self-consciously asked without thinking.

"You flash your legs to any man that walks by?" The question was asked playfully, but Inare felt a flare of anger coarse through her at it.

She quickly responded. "My muscles are a little sore, was hoping that the cold would help." Inare was not shy about her body, she saw nakedness too much to let it bother her in the slightest. But she knew decorum was a necessity with Uchiha women and she wanted not to stand out too much like a sore thumb. Inare pulled the skirt of her dress down.

"Your injured one? Is it not better?"

"Yes, it's just part of the recovery. I've started using my crutch a lot less, so the strain is to be expected."

"Put some snow on it. Really good at reducing swelling."

"I'm not putting snow on my leg," Inare quickly responded, not even willing to ponder the idea. Just the thought of having cold water running down her leg gave her more shivers of cold.

"Then don't." But she heard him shuffling around, as well as the crunching of snow. Inare tensed up feeling that he might just lunge some snow at her, something that she really did not want while she was growing increasingly cold.

At the sound of shuffling and moving snow, Inare peaked over towards Madara hoping that he was not preparing to throw snow at her. Seeing him toss some snow over the edge of the terrace, Inare was a little relieved to see he was clearing a patch up of snow rather than balling it together to lob at her. He appeared to be focusing his attention on something on the ground that wasn't snow.

He seemed to have found what it was he was looking for and lifted himself to crouch at her side.

"What are you d-" Her outrage began as he leaned over and pulled up her skirt . She stopped with a mild shriek when something frozen, but not sopping wet like snow, landed on her leg. "What is that?" Her question the morphed into something else as her curiosity send her to probe as this cold thing he had just put on her leg.

His hand was pressing it firmly to her leg so she could not get access till he lifted his hands with instructions to continue holding it there.

"Moss. Holds the water well, as well as the cold. Not as cold as snow and it will soon warm up, but you won't have as much water running down your legs."

Impressed, Inare sent him a beaming smile which he could probably not see.

"Thank you. I'm impressed, I thought you were about to throw snow at me. Should have realised that you probably didn't have it in you."

"Really now-" she heard him mumble before her face was introduced to a handful of snow. Smacking it away with a splutter and multiple curses, she smacked his hand away and Madara moved to put some distance between her and her fist that wanted to throw a fist, and not snow, into his face.

He sat back down in his place, looking out over the horizon that she had been gazing at not long ago.

"Real mature Madara," she muttered darkly, still brushing cold snow off her face and clothing.

A silence settled and Inare soon found herself snickering at what had just taken place, despite the chilled water now running down her chest. "I'm increasingly finding that you're not that bad of a person. You know?" It slipped out. Inare's mildly drunken mouth tended to be loose, but this was an entire new even for her.

He laughed humorlessly and Inare suddenly felt awkward for having said anything at all. "If you think that then you are really naïve."

"I wouldn't say naïve. Probably forcing myself to see your better qualities."

"Naïve," it came across as a taunt, but Inare did not let it get to her.

"Fine, you are really not that great of a person." Inare huffed. Then glad when he stopped calling her naïve. "But. You are a lot better from the man that I first met."

His laugh was a little more fuller this time. "Because I have been making such a conscious effort to improve myself for you Inare." His sarcasm was dry, but it made her laugh. She could just imagine the eye roll that probably accompanied a unimpressed look.

"Of course not. I'm just saying that I can endure you a lot better now… I suppose." Her hands had become cold, and she lifted them to her mouth and she blew her warm breath over them, before rubbing them together. They were damp and did not generate much heat, so she rubbed them against her arms to dry before trying again.

The moss somehow stuck to her leg, but she could feel it beginning to slide. "I think I have seen some of your better qualities too."

"And what would they be?" His attention on her as she continued to blow hot air into her hands, little shiver raking her body now and then and her words chattering occasionally.

"Well. You are very dedicated. Although, that may be a nice way of calling you stubborn, which isn't always a good quality."

"Great start," he mumbled, no sounding impressed.

"You can be childish."

"I am not," the quick response made her laugh, before he scowled and followed up with, "how is that even a good trait?"

"Well put it this way," She managed between her laughter, "It's a better than when you are serious."

"I have to be serious," now that definitely sounded indignant. His tone alone evoked a bark of laughter from her.

"Sure you do. But I do think that you much prefer living a little more carefree."

A snort of dampened humour as he shifted from crossing his legs to letting him dangle over the edge. "I don't have that liberty often."

"True."

A silence settled, and Inare felt the moss pile now slip right off her thigh, leaving a damp trail in its wake. Cursing, Inare leaned down to try and find it, missing Madara scape off a new clump of moss from the stones and applied it to her leg again.

She jumped at the contact, looking down at him. "I can take it now." She offered, her hands itching to take over.

"I'll hold it. You keep warming your hands up if your that cold. Why are you even out here without a coat?" Mumbling her thanks, she did just that. "What about gloves?" Sounding like he was chastising her, Inare looked the other way.

"I don't own gloves."

"Well you should. The weather is only going to get colder."

"I'll be sure to pop down to the local shop and buy some with my hard earned money from treating shinobi… training them too."

Her snorted his amusement at her spiteful jab, "calm down charity case."

"No. You do not get to call me charity case. You don't pay me. I do charity for you."

"You get fed."

"I still need stuff. I have had to pick up leftovers from dead people. It's exceedingly depressing," Inare would have denied the pound on her face but unfortunately for her Madara could definitely see it with his red eyes.

"We all do it," he confessed. His hold on the moss shifted and Inare felt a shiver run up her spine.

"Doesn't make it any better. I don't own a single thing that didn't once belong to someone who died." Putting words to that fact unsettled her greatly. Everything from her roll-mat and sleeping blankets to her coat all leftover from the dead.

His hand lifted from the moss at her leg and this time it remained. Inare let out a little sigh of relief at the loss of the contact. While appreciated it was still unusual.

"Here."

Looking to Madara from the dark landscape Inare rolled her eyes. "Here what?"

"I'm giving these to you."

The irritation in his voice only caused her to reflect the same irritation. "What are you giving me? I can't see anything."

Feeling damp material smack her face gently, she plucked what felt like a pair of gloves out of his hands. They were large and fur lined with an oiled outer skin for waterproofing. They were very nice. Put everything she had ever owned to instant shame. "You don't have to." She dejectedly responded, the former irritation forgotten. She really wanted them but did not feel like she could accept such an obviously valuable gift, less so if it was gifted just because she decided to have a little whine.

"Just take them." His almost dismissing tone was reassuring for the part of her that was debating in favour of accepting the.

"They seem really nice."

"Then you are going to enjoy them all the more."

"What about you?"

"Hate gloves."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Then why where you wearing them?"

"Because it's cold."

"Then you should wear your gloves," trying to hand them back to him, but he smacked her hand away gently, reapplying pressure to her left leg with the new moss.

"They get in the way. Stop complaining and just take them."

She mumbled a dejected thanks. Liking that fact that she now had them, but something still feeling off about having received effectively a gift from him. "This doesn't make me any more of a charity case. Just so you know."

"I didn't say anything."

"You were thinking it."

"Whatever you say, charity case." Inare snorted, making sure to tell him off for thinking he got to call her that. She pulled on the gloves, the fur ticking her fingers gently as they began to warm up with his residue warmth. The gloves where a little large on her, and difficult to do anything while wearing them, but the heat was blissfully welcoming.

"Thank you." She mumbled again at some point, while Madara brushed it off. "Now you have something that's not off a dead person."

"Don't get ahead of yourself now."

"Wishing for my death so soon? You would be devastated if I was to go. Think of all those good traits of mine that you would be missing out on."

"I said you had good traits, in comparison to what you were like when I first met you. I didn't say you were Buddha's reincarnations or anything."

"I let you stay in my clan."

"You also tormented me for Jian's smutty drawings."

"It was only because him and Daichi singled you out as the mastermind of the whole operation."

Inare recoiled with a gasp. "They did not!" It only took a fraction for a second for her to realise she did not believe a single word she had just said. "Those assholes. Like… I knew they were bad… but this really takes it far. You mean mastermind of just that one night though?"

"Yeah. But they did claim you were just as guilty by association, as you had known for a long time."

"So did Isshin, and he did nothing about it," long gone was the code of 'snitches get stitches'. It was clear that with that team, it was every man for themselves.

"Isshin is one of my chief squad leaders with the most experience and best history of success. He's punishable, but relatively untouchable. Unlike some."

"This is just fabulous you know. I feel betrayed on so many levels."

"All said and done. It was a good drawings."

"I cannot deny that," it was definitely the remaining alcohol in her blood that fuelled this sudden boldness. "Very flattering. Jian sure does have some real talent." Inare admitted freely, the thought of the image coming to mind, before he curiosity turned her to Madara. "You don't still have it do you?"

"Of course not."

"You said that too quickly. You do, don't you?" She was grinning and she knew that she looked like an idiot, but the giddy feeling coming from her just felt right.

"No, I do not." Sounding annoyed, but that for some reason was only further confirmation to Inare's still tipsy mind. "Why would I keep it?" Madara asked, as if that would stop her persistence.

"I wouldn't judge."

"You are very unusual." He commented dryly. Inare nodded in sad agreement.

"Shame you don't still have it though. I would have liked to keep it. I am glad that you told me what Jian and Daichi said, though. I'll be sure to make it up to them."

"Let me know when you do. I would like to see if your concept of revenge has developed."

"Oh, I can be cruel when necessary. You forget that I have access to an arsenal of terrible substances. I can make a man shit his entire stomach out for a whole week if I wanted to."

"I'll be sure to be a little more cautious in the future when it comes to pissing you off."

"If you made the conscious effort to stop, then it would be weird."

Conversation flew with him so easy to the point that it became easier to forget the shivers as they talked, joked, but mostly made harmless jabs at one another. It was fun that way. He eventually gave her his scarf when she got really cold.

When they both agreed that they had been outside too long, he helped her to stand up supporting her while she re-found her strength with her chilled, but no longer swollen, leg.

Both of their return journey took them passed the festivities where Inare briefly had to stop and watch what looked to be unfolding into a fight between Daichi and Susumu. At first to her it looked as if Isshin was attempting to stop the pair from going at each other throats as he held the two apart by the necks of their shirts, but she was quickly proven wrong.

"Make this a fair fight gentlemen," he called loudly over the cheers and howling. "Fists, nails and teeth are all permitted. No weapons or jutsu. Am I clear?"

"Let go already you bastard!" Susumu growled, nearly getting free from Isshin, but the taller man managed to hold him back.

"Let them at each other already Isshin!" "Come one, start already!" The crown drowned out whatever Isshin and Daichi now quickly appeared to be arguing over.

"This doesn't bother you?" Inare had to know as she turned to Madara, then seeing the man's amusement she rolled her eyes.

"Could never bring myself to stop it," he grinned in response and she rolled her eyes again just in case he hadn't seen it the first time. It was seconds later that Isshin was force to release the two and they were at each other with their fists. "Unless of course they genuinely try to kill each other."

Inare grimace as Daichi's heavy fists landing onto Susumu's cheek. Daichi was a considerably larger man than Susumu, so it was no surprise that he went down with the hit. She winced when he got up and returned with kick that pulled Daichi to the floor.

Shaking her head, Inare couldn't bring herself to watch. "I refuse to heal any of those idiots tomorrow," she concluded."

Madara laughed at her admission, glancing down at to see her distaste of the sight of the fight. A loud cheer quickly drew his attention, it would appear that he had just missed Daichi breaking Susumus nose. He turned to Inare to respond in time to see a shiver run through her as she crossed her arms. "I'll help you to your rooms."

"Hm," her attention diverted to him.

Frowning in slight irritation, he looked away as he asked again. "I'll help you back to your room."

"I'm fine without."

"Alright then."

"Thank you for the offer none the less."

"Just go."

Inare grinned, the laughed. In the darkness she could not make out much of his face, which was as shame, she would have liked to. "Good night Madara."

She didn't catch his response as Susumu had been knocked out and an ear ripping cheer deafened her briefly as the celebrations of Daichi's victory began. Still with a smile, Inare turned and headed for bed.

It was only once she entered the quiet warmed quarters where many of the women were sleeping, most where still at the party, that Inare realised that she still had Madara's scarf wrapped around her shoulders and neck. In the lit quarters she could get a look at the gloves that he had given and she felt giddy when she finally had a proper look at the pale grey skin mittens. She stuck her hands into them and curled them tightly, enjoying the feel of the fur inside.

Once at her mat, she pulled it closer to the fire, and pulled off her boots. Pulling off the outer layer of her dress then tucked herself under a thick blanked. Scarf wrapped still around her neck, she slipped the gloves on for extra warmth before lying down to sleep with her multiple blankets.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 12**

* * *

No longer in situations where she would be encountering excessive amounts of blood on a daily basis, Inare enjoyed the freedom of not having to wear her apron. Although she was quickly beginning to feel at little at loss for where she could put all her stuff now that she lacked all the pocketing space it offered her.

Instead now she carried around with her a drawstring bag for all her medical supplies and equipment. Not to mention keeping it all in one place discouraged the littlest of the Uchiha's from pinching and scattering her stuff all around the fortress.

Not that it ever stopped them, but at least now it would all be kept together. She hopped.

Walking out to the training pits, Inare was scheduled to be watching out for any training injuries. It wasn't the most mentally stimulating work, the worst it got was broken bones.

At the stop, spotted Ebisu sitting down and coughing. He was struggling to gather his breath and Inare was quickly dashing over. "You okay?" Her hand went to her back and began patting gently. Managing to make out the broken words for water, Inare dashed off without hesitation.

Returning with a wooden cup of water, she offered it silently to Ebisu as another coughing fit passed his body. Once he had calmed from the fit he took the glass and drank heavily from. "Thank you dear." He coughed twice right after drinking. He struggled for a long time to successfully catch his breath.

Inare nodded silently, reaching out when Ebisu was overcome with a second harsh coughing fit. She patted his back gently as the coughs began to subside. "You okay?" She didn't know why she bothered to ask, it just seemed polite at the time.

"I've felt better. But that would have been around twenty years ago." The laughter that followed sounded hollow to Inare's ears.

"That cough doesn't sound like it's getting any better." It had been over three months since he had caught it.

"I wouldn't worry about that. It's all part of getting old."

She smiled. "Aging. It's a strange phenomenon." Inare responded, again more because she didn't know what else to say.

"No strangeness to it when you're living it."

Inare's head sunk a little before she looked back at him. "Could I," she hesitated, not really wanting to overstep boundaries here.

"Please do."

Inare rose to her feet and moved to crouch behind him and placed her palms onto his back. Her chakra seeped through his clothing, skin and slowly began inspecting the chakra and tissues of his lungs.

"Do you feel like you can completely inflate your lungs?"

Ebisu coughed as he responded with a no.

Her curiosity took her further, exploring the bones of his ribcage. They were thinner and more arched than normal lungs she had inspected. That was likely the reason he was struggling to get a full lungful of air.

His diaphragm was a lot weaker, which would explain his struggle to catch his breathing after the coughing. Further probing showed her than the air sacks had lost their shape. Without thinking she began to shift her chakra into a healing form to see if she could reverse that change.

She was only a minute in when Ebisu noticed what she was doing and laughed at her. "There's not point wasting your energy doing that. It won't make a lick of difference." Inare stopped, disheartened by his response and realisation that nothing had changed internally.

Her hands slipped down from his back and onto her legs. After a moment of thought that was interrupted by another coughing fit, Inare shifting to sit back besides him again.

Sighing out, Inare left to refill the glass.

Minutes later and Ebisu had calmed. His breathing horse but still managing to direct a grateful look at her before muttering. "You're a good girl Inare."

"So there's nothing to be done."

"Nothing. But you shouldn't concern yourself over an old man like me."

Swallowing back the bitter feeling of hopelessness Inare straightened her back. "I should do all I can to help you."

A croaking laugh as he slowly shook his head. "No dear, you put your focus into keep the young'uns in top shape." He looked down from their perched position above the training halls where shinobi off all ages between five and thirty where training in taijutsu. "They're the ones that carry the legacy of our clan onwards, no longer us old ones."

"I don't know about that one." Inare grumbled as she looked down at the fighting, she could see one boy tightly gripping an arm that was dangling a little too low from his shoulder, but still dogged a punch before delivering a vicious kick to his opponent head. "They're all so reckless."

"I know that all too well." Ebisu snorted. "You fix a dislodged kneecap and they're back up onto to their feet only to be back later with a punctured lung."

Inare chuffed in agreement, her gaze turning sorrowful as her mind began to trek down some dark thoughts of what spring would bring for many of these young boys and girls. A hand landing on her shoulder jolted her from her mind as she looked over to the understanding gaze of Ebisu. "You'll get there."

Inare nodded, thinking she understood but not really knowing there there was. Ever so slowly, Ebisu rose to his feet, groaning out a grumpy, "I've too much work to be sitting around all day. You too, don't let me see you loafing about again." Inare smiled knowingly at the man, directing him a firm nod and a playful "Yes sir."

"None of the sass either." He snapped back, not taking long to drift back into his natural character. "I see a possible concussion, two dislocated shoulders and at least eight broken noses down there. You're the attending medic. Attend!"

Inare jumped to her feet, still not having shaken off the grin as she walked off quickly towards the stairs that would take her down to the training pits. A small skip in her steps, much to Ebisu's further annoyance. "I said no sass!"

Still laughing by the time she got down to the training pits, she artfully dodged a body that went hurdling in her direction. Relatively proud of that move she failed to notice the kunai flying in her general direction and likely would have been hit with it had someone not shoved her head downwards to let it go sailing over her and embed itself in the wall.

A feminine voice snarled at her to look what she was doing before the hand on her head quickly moved away. It happened all so quickly that Inare still wasn't aware that she had been in danger till she looked to her right and spotted the kunai. Grimacing, she dashed towards the edged where the recovering shinobi where all sitting.

It was busier down here today than any other day when she had been assigned to duty here. No one was sat in the medic bay so Inare suspected that the eleven people Ebisu had pointed out where still training. Frowning, Inare looked around to begin identifying them, didn't take long to find the potential concussion, which was also where she found her dislocated shoulder.

Twenty minutes later and she had patched up just about everyone that she could see. Some had retired to the wounded area to rest up while the majority had stayed on to continue training. Inare wasn't about to force them not to, if they wanted to continue on idiotically then they were welcome to.

Leaning against the wall of the training pit Inare watched for a few moments as the shinobi fought among themselves.

Brutal. The best way Inare could describe two people attacking each other to strengthen their bodies. The sharp and piercing sounds of fists meeting made her uncomfortable for a short moment. Not all the fights where limited to just fists, a number fought with weapons, stunning Inare momentarily.

Just when Inare thought that she might be in for a short break, one hand slapped down on her shoulder as bearded man appeared from the corner of her vision.

"Inare," the way he would sing out her name always tended to irritate her.

Her shock quickly passed as she then glared a little, "Daichi."

The man in question had taken to growing out a beard for the winter and was sporting a very purplish complexion this morning. It aged him ten years, which combined with his overly friendly persona, and by that she meant downright annoying, was doing him no favours.

"Long time no see little lady," Daichi must have got wacked on the head real hard last night if he didn't remember that they briefly conversed at the party. He grinned now that the initial greetings were done, despite whatever mood she was in Daichi's laid back approach to everything could make her crack a grin.

"It has," finally turning around she looked to see Isshin standing next to him. Hard to ever get those two apart. "Hey Isshin," she'd been seeing him a lot recently now that she spent the majority of her days with Hisoka.

"And it would look like you have some nice new gloves and a scarf. Who'd you steal them off."

"Not telling," his laughter sounded genuinely impressed at the ferocity of her reply. Not sure how she should feel about that, she offered a secretive smile in return. Behind Daichi Isshin rolled his eyes, clearly having no interest if theft was involved.

"They are a good score," Daichi went on, taking hold of her gloved hands and taking a closer look. Inare instinctively pulled back not wanting him to instantly pick out where they had come from. She knew Isshin and Daichi worked relatively close with Madara, so it was possible they could recognise them. "Proper leather at that," he mumbled as he felt around them, "so, what you willing to trade them for?"

The glint in his eyes was too telling.

"Not trading them Daichi. Just let me have something nice."

"Everything is for trade." Adding a quick wiggle of his brows which resulted in a bark of laughter from Inare. Briefly she thought of bringing up what Madara had said last night, then she stubbed the idea down. There would be better opportunities, and she didn't really feel that bitter about it.

Letting it slide, Inare dismissed herself saying she had more important things to do, which was when Daichi noticed that she no longer had her leg strapped up. "You're walking again!" His little cheer was welcoming, and she laughed in return. Glad that someone seemed as happy as she was about her recovery. Shinobi where too numbed to injuries the majority of the time.

"Yeah, it's been slow."

"Perfect," very quick to dismiss it, "remember you said you'd let me teach you to fight."

"I remember a very one-sided conversation as I cauterised my leg," her eyes narrowed on remembering that night.

"That's the one," completely ignoring her disinterest, and the correct recollection of that particular conversation. "Come on, nows the perfect time."

"You do have a training schedule to keep to Daichi." Isshin reminded his second. Inare had half-forgotten he was there.

"As Isshin said," using the moment to try and slide away from the two. She didn't want to get in the way if they had training, and now that two people she was relatively close to where about to fight just as aggressively as the rest… it left her feeling overwhelmingly uncomfortable.

She'd rather not be around to see that.

"Then how about you show her something them? Hm, how about it Isshin?"

"You guys are busy. Don't worry about it."

"Just a few things!" Daichi called after her. "So you're not caught completely hopeless next time."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence there." She mumbled to herself as she turned to face them. Isshin looked a little irritated at Daichi, while the man in question was way too pleased with himself.

"Well?" He urged.

Right on the tip of her tongue was a sharp rejection that came with the determination that she did not need to fight anything or anyone. She was not a shinobi, she was a medic.

But then she thought back to that early autumn night. How despite her determination, her near back breaking frustration, if not for Madara, she would have most certainly died at the hands of a madman. No amount of drive towards living for tomorrow could have prevented that.

Her learning just a few trick on how to defend herself would likely also not have helped.

But it wouldn't have lessened her odds either.

At that point, she thought yes. She did need to learn a little.

"Fine," she finally huffed. "But nothing crazy. Realistic stuff that I could actually do."

"Yes! Up to you Isshin. I'll be here for criticisms."

"Very helpful Daichi," Isshin returned, giving his friend a dull look, "and don't think I don't know what you doing."

Isshin and Inare moved a small distance from Daichi, to which Inare asked. "Which is?"

"He's always trying to get out of training." Isshin responded quickly, looking away from her and back at Daichi, who was giving him encouraging waves.

"You shinobi. I would have thought that you all thrived of training."

"No him, he's the laziest shinobi you'll find."

Not having expected that, Inare turned around to glanced at Daichi who rapidly moved to hide his hands behind his back. Frowning in confusion, Inare ignored his strangeness and turned back to Isshin. "So what's first?"

"Punching."

"I know how to punch," Inare dismissed quickly.

"You'll be surprised how few civilians really know how to throw a proper punch."

Inare supposed that he'd know best. "Fine, teach me ol' wise teacher."

* * *

Inare didn't want to even think about how long they'd been going for, it was likely an embarrassingly short amount of time for her to be sweating as she currently was.

While she had learnt throw a relatively decent punch, her favourite so far had been breaking out of holds. That she felt would be a lot more useful that ever actually attempting to attack someone.

Isshin had very efficiently taught her four moves, that she hoped she would never have to use, and they were about to go through all of them again to consolidate them.

Somewhat humorously it was the punch that she ended up getting wrong, her foot slipping on loose gravel that sent her tumbling to the hard stone floor.

"Shit," she heard Isshin curse from above her. "You okay Inare." He leaned down to offer her an arm but her ears where instantly flooded by the sound one someone else's voice.

"I had no idea you were so bad at so many things." Madara humorously commented down at Inare on the floor where she had fallen to. Inare was preparing herself to retort viciously as Isshin helped her to her feet when Daichi beat her to it.

After a hearty chuckle. "Give her a break, Sir. She only just started."

"And finishing," the clan head quipped back, "leave my men to do their appropriate training medic. I need to speak with you."

Inare felt a slight tingle of dread, or maybe excitement, run the length of the spine. He probably wanted his scarf and gloves back and it was probably for the best that she return them at that, Daichi definitely had his eyes on them and she no longer put it passed him to try and steal them. She was beginning to feel like she had made a poor choice of Uchiha's to be acquaintances with.

After thanking Isshin and Daichi for their help, the two of them went their own ways while Madara tilted his head to the stairs leading away from the training pits. Nodding mutely, Inare followed till they were out of the pit.

"Something the matter?"

"Not really."

"Ah, then has something gone wrong?"

"What's up with you. It's nothing urgent."

"Right. It's just that, I don't often get people coming to talk to me specifically. Well there was that one time, but that was a trap rather than… so what was it you needed?"

"Just to quickly talk to you about something."

All of the sudden it popped into her mind again. "You're scarf. Here, let me return it."

"My what?" He sounded completely lost.

"Scarf," Inare reiterated as she began unravelling the material from her neck.

"Scarf? Oh. Keep it," he dismissed with a wave, not looking like he cared in the slightest.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," he insisted, beginning to sound annoyed. "Consider it a gift."

"People just don't give gifts Madara."

"Haven't you had the miserable life."

"No," she fumed, growing irritated that he wasn't understanding her, "it's just a little off to actually receive something. Appreciated, but not really necessary."

"Accept the damn thing and just get over it. Or better yet, think of it as your payment."

"I'd much rather have the pay in which case."

"You didn't even stop to think about that one."

"Didn't have to."

"Fine, forget it. Bonus for teaching those kids."

"I can accept that."

"Good."

"I'll still need payment one day."

"That's not what I wanted to talk about! Can't we cross that bridge when we get to it?"

"Hmm, maybe. So what is it?"

"Ebisu."

"Ebisu? What about him? Is he okay?" Instantly thinking back to their conversation not long ago.

"Of course he is. Healthy enough to probably live another hundred years or so," the humour could be heard in his tone but when Inare turned to look up at him she only saw the severe look that told her he meant only business. "But he is getting old, so I'm having him sent back to the clans homelands where he'll get the appropriate rest. He might be able to train a few more medics while he's there."

"He has a prevailing lung problem. Not treatable." Inare mumbled out.

"Age I guess."

"Yeah." Inare couldn't keep the dejection out her voice.

They seemed to have arrive at where Madara wanted to take them. Within the subterranean passages of Hideout it was frustratingly easy to get lost. They had entered a part that Inare was not familiar with. It must have been at the deepest part of Hideout, the room was at least over ten meters.

Much like the rest of hideout, it was bare asides from a single throne chair carved from the stone that made up the platform on which it sat. Carved into the throne was the Uchiha crest, right behind the chair a section of the wall had been painted to show the character of fox surrounded by spiralling flames.

Inare had near forgotten about Madara as she took in these strange features and wondering to herself why she had not been down here yet, then he spoke up again. "I wouldn't worry about him. He's a tough ol' fool." Inare wouldn't admit it but she had forgotten what they were talking about previously for a moment.

"Right," she agreed, because what else would she say? "What is this?" Asking as she returned to gazing round the large hall.

"This?" Following his line of sight he looked over the place. "Throne room I suppose."

"Who did it belong to?"

"I would have thought it was a little obvious," his dry tone telling it all.

"Yeah of course it's Uchiha, but from what I've seen, you don't strike me as the sort of clan that has royalty and the likes."

"Ah, no we wouldn't be. Uchiha's have never had royalty in our blood. Through and through shinobi clan. Hideout's ancient though, I guess some time back then there was some Uchiha who did fancy themselves as king."

"What an ego they must have had."

"You think?" He chuffed, taking a few long strides towards the throne and letting himself fall into the seat. He lounged backwards, crossing his legs and opening his arms wide in the process to rest on the arms of the throne. "Well?"

"Well, I think its perfection. A throne room big enough to match your own ego."

"I know. It is perfect for me," he grinned smugly while Inare rolled her eyes ignoring his playfulness. He seemed to be in such good moods these day. At least he was whenever she encountered him.

Inare slowly approached the throne, taking her time to admire the smooth carving. She let finger glide over the cold rock, unable to feel a single bump or dent in it. Inare made sure that her finger ran off the edge of the thrones chair before it ran into Madara's arm. Her eyes trailed over the painting behind, taking in all the details unaware that red eyes were following her.

"And the fox," reading the figure from the wall, "is it significant to your clan?"

Come spring, Inare would have been with the Uchiha's for an entire year, and yet she did not know anything about the clans history asides from the long drawn out wars with the Senju.

"Asides from the flames that kitsune's are claimed to have produced in ancient times which the Uchiha once believed where the source of our katon's, there are other reason. Loads of old tales."

By now Inare had walked around the throne and was again standing before Madara. Jokes aside, Inare had not taken the time to appreciate how surreal it was for him to be seated in a throne. "Will you tell one to me?" Her tone gentle, without her knowing Inare was trying to persuade him.

Her eyes met his red one and he held the gaze with unwavering eyes. A trait of his that Inare found both impressive and unsettling.

"If you want. There all pretty long tales," he sounded like he was gently warning her against having to sit through a long an arduous tale. Inare did not feel like she was in the rush to do anything else, least of all go back and heal fractured bones, pulled muscles and bruises.

"I wouldn't have asked if I want interested in hearing the whole story."

"You might want to sit down for it. These stories were told to get kids to shut up and finally fall asleep."

Inare restrained a scoff, wondering if her had not noticed the severe lack of chairs in the hall. "You offering up your seat for me?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of my lap," Madara could see her eyes widen a fraction before narrowing in irritation at the suggestion and he resisted a laugh knowing that she'd likely flip at him, "but I will resign myself to giving up my chair."

"I'm sure its big enough for the both of us," she admitted without much thought of what she was saying. At that he looked a little startled, but a grin did grow. "Not like that," she scoffed, "the chair does have armrests."

Said grin did vanish, "I suppose that will have to do." Standing to give her the seat, while he rested on the arm of the throne. Then with the balance of a shinobi he was, Madara brought both feel up to rest on the arms too without a single wobble or any wavering.

"You going to start?"

"I'm not a natural story teller."

"Never thought you would have been."

He turned a dry look at her, "I get more and more sass from you as the days go by."

Deciding that the throne chair was just too big for her alone, Inare brought her legs up onto the throne and tucked them under her. Leaning up against the armrest and facing Madara a little better. "What is up with everyone today and the sass? I am harmless."

Madara raised a brow at her, Inare stifled a snigger. "Come on, get on with it."

Rolling his eyes at her, Madara settled himself against the back of the throne. "I don't actually know which story to tell you now. There are so many."

"I suppose go for the one that resonated the most with you," Inare suggested with a shrug.

"There are so many about the Uchiha and foxes, and they vary so much. Different from the Nine-Tails demon sealed in Kwenlun Mountain, foxes of Uchiha tales have been depicted as tricksters, faithful guardians of the God Inari, friends and even as lovers."

Inare's eyes widened at the mention of Inari, her mind jumping back to the first civil conversation her and Madara must have had all those months ago. While tempted, Inare did not interrupt.

"The older the fox, the more powerful it is. Mature foxes can transform themselves into beautiful women that have seduced both men and women to their demise, or even their fortune. Now Toyoshi Uchiha was the youngest triplet of a the Uchiha Clan head.

"Originally leadership of the clan was handed down through blood, but the practice was ousted when our leaders became delusional of their capacity to lead. When it came to the inheritance for these brothers it was complicated. Unsurprisingly their dying father thought it would be best to pit them all against each other by claiming that the one who could bring back the grandest gift for their soon to be widowed mother would inherit."

"Parenting at its finest," humourlessly commented.

"Isn't it just," Madara snorted "but mostly just convenient to the story. So then he left, roaming the countryside visiting crafters, smiths and tailors to find his mother the grandest gift. Yet Toyoshi could find nothing that would be worthy of his mother.

"Then one night as he slept, he was woken all the sudden by the loud bark of what he thought was a dog. Instead he woke to a pure white fox bathed in moonlight. Fox knew everything about Toyoshi, his name, his ancestry, that his father was dying and that he needed a worthy gift for his mother.

"The fox told him of whispers of a garden where the largest and finest tasting fruits could be found in this world. That should legends be believed, peaches that would grant immortality upon whoever would eat them."

"That's silly."

"It's a story Inare. You wanted to hear it." Madara dismissed with an irritated glance down at her. Meekly she averted her eyes and mumbled that she would stop interrupting. "However, to find this garden he would have to travel far. The furthest that anyone in his family had ever travelled. As proof, the fox picked up a leaf in its mouth and it was suddenly it turned into a map."

Inare sucked her breath in but quickly bit down on her inner lips at the dark look at Madara gave her.

"Three years he travelled, crossing oceans and summiting mountains till eventually he arrived to the Wuda forest. A forest that the whispers of the natives claimed had been swallowed by the molten anger of the Volcano. But instead of a rocky wasteland, he found lush green forest that stretched out as far as could be seen."

Madara had turned to her, his eyes not breaking the lock they had on hers as he continued to paint the scenery of this tale. "It was exactly as the fox had told him. So taking out the map he was given, he travelled his way through the forest for five whole days. On the fifth day he had no food or water to sustain him, and it was just as he could feel his body begin to give out on him he stumbled into a clearing." Inare could feel herself smile, despite herself she'd gradually been drawn in by the craziness of this story that she barely noticed herself leaning in as if it would both speed up and delay the ending. "Exhausted her fell to the ground, and on raising his head he watched as around him the green forests he had traversed for five whole days fell from reality to revealed the barren rocky badlands he was told he would find.

"There at the centre sat the very same fox who had sent him on this quest, laughing. The fox had not lead him to the mythical garden where Peaches of Immortality grew. The fox transformed into a stunning woman, the most beautiful woman that Toyoshi had ever seen, and she continued to laugh at him. Then, to further Toyoshi's distress, she showed him visions of his middle brother as the ruler of his clan. His father dead, and him forgotten. Both his mother and eldest brother murdered in a jealous fit when the eldest' gift had been declared the finest."

Inare let out the breath she wasn't aware she'd been holding. Untucking her legs she brought them tightly up to her chest, while Madara shifted on the armrest and moved to place both feet either side of her figure.

"Angered, Toyoshi tried to kill the fox. Now knowing that the fox had led him on this trail for her own cruel amusement, robbing him of everything in the process. Weakened, it was not an easy fight. But Toyoshi did not fight fairly as madness took over his mind, soon he had the fox on her back and slashed a knife across her throat. Then when her blood had cooled, he cut out her heart and ate it." Madara grinned as her jaw dropped the slightest at the reveal. "Despite his victory, Toyoshi had still sustained mortal wounds, and no longer had the energy to carry on." Madara leaned towards Inare, his voice deepening as the tale began to twist.

"What he did not know, was that the fox was once a loyal servant of the god Izanami. The very same fox that had once betrayed Izanami by impersonating him and laying with his sister wife, Izanagi. Gladdened that someone had finally dealt with the deceitful creature, Izanami now stood before the dying Toyoshi who had used the last of his strength kill the fox. Izanami gave him an ancient and powerful ability as his reward.

"Izanagi's genjutsu. The ability to break the foundations of our reality. Rewrite truth into nothing but a dream and then, awaken. Toyoshi activated the genjutsu, then he himself awoke into a new reality. Sitting before his dying father as he was told that he and his brothers must leave to find a worthy gift for their soon to be widowed mother."

Inare breathed out for what felt like the hundredth time, relieved the story had reached its conclusion. "That wa-"

"Not finished yet," Madara chimed in and Inare was suddenly aware of how close the two of them had drifted together during the story. "To spare his mother of such a cruel fate he killed his middle brother, but then fearing that his oldest brother would still present the finest gift, killed him and stole the gift to present to his mother."

"What! Then what?"

A subtle grin grew on his face at her enthusiasm. "Nothing," he watched as her face dropped and tried not to be show his amusement, "he become the head of his clan and lived many years to birth many sons. Then on his own deathbed decided to once again rewrite his life to live, and not die. Except Izunami had never intended for his gift to be used so selfishly, and killed Toyoshi himself. Ensuring in the process that none would use the Izanagi with such selfish freedom."

Inare felt exhausted after hearing all that, and her body slumped a little backwards. "You Uchiha's have some messed up stories."

"Want to hear another?" He sounded keen, and Inare would have shared it if she did not feel to drained from just the one.

"How about another time."

He laughed, leaning back too and the personal space that she scarcely noticed had been closed upon was restored. "Probably for the best."

Inare smiled. "It was pretty intense," she admitted, clutching her knees closer to herself. "Do the Senju ever feature in your folklore."

Madara thought on that for a moment. "Not that I know of. Why do you ask?"

"No reason in particular. Just thought that because they were considered you longest enemies, that some of your stories would feature them."

"None, at least none as extravagant as what would count as folklore. I suppose. It has been suspected that Uchiha and Senju are not our true ancestral roots, but that we were once something else that renamed gradually before who we are today. "

Nodding silently, Inare looked to her feet briefly before back up at Madara again. "It sounds nice to come from a family with so much history and tales."

"It's just a mad story. I wouldn't believe it if I were you."

"I'm not saying I believe it, I said it more in sense tha… never mind. I've never been down here."

He didn't respond right away knowing that she was dismissing her previous statement. "No one's allowed in here," Madara looked up and pointed, "the last battle that took place here really messed up the infrastructure. Can you see that crack?"

"It doesn't look too bad," Inare commented, looking up at where he was pointed. It was relatively long maybe around a meter, but did not look all too deep.

"We'd rather not take the risk. There have been a number of cave-ins over the years and found that it's just better to ban entry to some parts. These are the only few places in the entire fortress where you can get some peace. Still, it's impossible to stop curious little brats from wondering around."

Inare sniggered, knowing all too well how mischievous the younger Uchiha's became once they entered hideout. They very much enjoyed stealing her medical good and hiding them around the fortress. In only two months she has been on three wild chases for the kids responsible, and then for her belongings when none of them would cough up where they'd been hidden.

Thinking of her medical kit Inare was only just now remembering she left her bag with all her equipment back at the training pit. Thoughts down that path drew her back to what Madara had originally brought her away from the pits for, "Before I forget, what was it you actually needed me for again?"

"Right, I'd almost forgotten."

"My company can do that," she grinned teasingly.

"In a manner of speaking," he mumbled to himself, "I wanted to hear about the progress of your student."

It was a lot to suddenly take in, Inare hesitated for a second. He'd showed no interest whatsoever since he'd first asked her to take on some students. "Why do you want to know?"

"The elders in our home lands have asked that Ebisu be returned in order to begin seriously training newer medics for the clan, the old farts been avoiding I for years now. Not to mention his prevailing sickness will quickly become a burden-"

"You're sending him away?" Once Inare got over her brief shock, she did blurt it a little loud.

"I have to." Madara did not look entirely pleased at it.

"What do you mean you have to? You're the clan head right… then be the head and don't. He's essential. Yes he's sick but it is manageable. And you have other medics that can teach!" Inare really wasn't sure of that statement whatsoever, she just did not want to lose the only person she liked among the Uchiha medics. Incredibly selfish, but she could not see Ebisu training anyone and being happy about it.

"Not my call. Clan Head does not mean I'm in charge, the Elders oversee all that. Izuna and I are generals in real terms," the quiet admittance there pulled Inare out of her selfish grumblings. She stared for a long time at Madara not certain of what to make of that admittance. She'd always had the impression that him and Izuna were just in charge, nothing had ever given her reason to doubt so. "So your kid? How he doing?"

Inare wasn't blind to the diversion, but she did not persist. "Toke? Well he's competent and very dedicated to the field. Spend a lot of time studying and is slowly becoming more efficient."

"Would he be interested in taking a full time position as a medic?"

"At this point it's more a case of whether or no he's competent, and I think it's too early for him. He could be interested, I think. I'd have to ask him."

"I'm surprised you don't already know. The kids all over you most days."

"He's incredibly curious, wanting to know everything he possibly can."

"That's one way of putting it."

Inare quickly rose a brow at that. "Don't be so vague," she bristled, "what do you mean?"

"The kids completely infatuated with you."

At that she snorted, rolling her brown eyes and meeting Madara red gaze. "Maybe a little. But he's harmless and he'll outgrow it."

"I suppose he would," he laughed quietly, looking like he was remembering himself at that age. "Kids out on the field don't often get to encounter many women that, well, that couldn't skewer them for looking at them the wrong way."

Inare smiled brightly, "that is definitely true." Laughing little, "I've seen what they can do, they can be scary as fuck, I don't think I'd ever want to insult any of your clans women."

"But you have no qualms with insulting the men," Madara breathed out, leaning closer into her closer. "Maybe if you only knew what we were capable would you think twice about insulting me so often."

Her throat must have been closing in on her, constricting the breath she needed to desperately release. He was closer than before when he was telling his story. Heated breath drifted across her mouth and cheeks resulting in heat was rising up her neck and face.

As she tilted backwards, Madara unconsciously followed and she felt her insides twist. Swallowing down her uncertainty, Inare dared herself to lean inwards. There was no point in pretending that she didn't know what he was instigating here, but there was a lot of logic in thinking it through… but… but…

For as many bad reason as she could list for giving there were more that sinisterly whispered to her that it was just another decision. One of many she would make in her lifetime. Surely whatever fuckups followed this one decision surely could not screw her up any more than all this world fuckups. It didn't seem possible…

What was there to lose? It would only… be… just…the…one…

"Hope I'm not interrupting anything here," a smooth voice drifted in from the other side of the room and Inare's head spun so quickly to find the source that her sight briefly blanked.

Madara's younger brother, Izuna, leant against the entrance and Inare felt like her face was going to burn right off her face as the sudden embarrassment that flooded her. Simultaneously she felt like she might be on the verge of either a stroke or a heart attack. Either one would be equally fatal to her.

Yes, Inare wanted to just vanish. Completely vanish.

Yet it would appear that her overwhelming embarrassment went unnoticed by their intruder as he rolled his shoulders and seemed to settle himself into a more comfortable position against at the entrance. "Brother, you're needed elsewhere," the reminder was so casual that it shattered any illusion that Inare previously had of the sudden impulsive moment she was about to share with Madara.

"I will be there in a moment Izuna." Despite addressing his brother yet he did not take his gaze of Inare. While Inare really did not know where to look.

She settled on what she was most comfortable with, which was Madara who greeted her with a grin that told so much yet too little.

"I'll leave," Inare blurted, barely any control over her voice or raging heartbeat.

Inare tried to walk slowly, not to look rattled but she knew that both of them would instantly be seeing through that failed attempt. Walking through the doorway there was no way she could miss Izuna's eyes following her.

* * *

 ** _I made Inare's name up completely on a whim years back when I first started writing this. But when I did a little bit of culture research and found that Inari was some god with foxes as messengers, I kinda wanted to develop all this folk-law into it. I took MANYYY creative liberties, so for any history buffs out there - It's just fiction. Figured it kind merged nicely. What dya' think?_**

 ** _And sorry for the delay. I have upgraded my laptop and have been having a hard time converting all the files over. Not to mention work is really demanding and takes a lot out of me._**


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

* * *

 **I didn't like the transition from chapter 13-14, so this this chapter was put together to sort of further enhance some things. I also didn't expect it to be this long, which is what took so long. Anyhow, enjoy it.**

 **I also didn't managed to go through this as much as I would have liked so its probably littered with errors. Thanks for you patience with all that, been lazy in getting the right stuff to my beta to go over :/**

* * *

"Now, while chickweed won't be any use in fighting infections, the leaves and stems have many nourishing properties which can help accelerate recovery rates. Eating it can help reduce excess mucous production for those with lung infections and a salve can be made for boils and abscesses."

Inare finished with the last plant that she wanted to demonstrate to her student and dropped the leaves back into the basket. She'd forested a lot more of the chickweed than the rest, which consisted of roots and weeds, all useful for making teas, pastes and salves to treat an array of issues.

She'd really wanted to get across to Toke that despite it being cold and snowed over, the land could still provide you with the necessary materials to treat yourself or others.

Even if it did mean having to hauling him out into the freezing outside of Hideout and standing around in the snow for the last two hours. Neither of them were looking very unhappy by this point.

She was pretty sure that Toke had fallen asleep at some point from his stance leaning against the tree, while the boy was always in the mood for learning something, he had his limits. Which apparently was two hours standing in the freezing cold.

Inare couldn't blame him, even she was beginning to feel shivers run through her body uncontrollably that not even her scarf and gloves made much of a difference anymore.

That all said, she sort of suspected that the boy was glad to be out of Hideout for a few hours. Today he was sporting a large bruise over his right temple, and the black eye from last week was now reduced to a plump yellow.

Inare initially suspected training, but on asking him he accidentally let slip that he hadn't sparred in over a week. Not wanting to push the boy she let the topic drop.

She'd ended up threading some string through the top of the gloves so that she could tighten them to her wrists and stop having to pull them up evert so often. The gloves where downright the nicest thing shed ever owned, the soft warmed fur keeping her fingers warm and ticking them at the same times. It was pleasant.

But even the nice feeling at her hands was not enough to deter her mind away from her wet trousers and boots from where the snow had seeped through. It was time to finish up.

"So, to conclude. Just because its winter, doesn't mean that there isn't something useful to gather." Inare dully concluded, teaching was not her forte. "Right," she felt the need to fill the silence as Toke was unlikely to have questions. Not that she blamed him, she seriously doubted she'd be able to answer any. "So, how about you go take these," she motioned to the large basket that they had filled with wild greenery, "and go use them appropriately. We're going to need the chickweed for salves and make tea's for those suffering from phlegmy coughs."

Toke looked to perk up a little at the prospect of going back to hideout. "So, we're finished for today?"

"Yep."

He didn't hide the cheer, his bright red cheeks bunched upwards as a grin formed on his face and Inare felt a little less guilty about having dragged him out. Their stores hadn't been in dire needed of more herbs and resources, but a lesson was a pretty good excuse to get help from her student. "Just on you way, could you grab more bark from the Beech trees back that way."

"Right, what about you Miss Inare?"

"Going to walk for a bit, I'll see if I can find anything else useful."

"Are you sure," Toke wrapped his arms around himself and glanced down at the snow around them, "It's cold and it doesn't look like a patrol has passed recently."

"Nothing's happened in the two months we've been here," she dismissed. With Toke pretty much doing all her grunt work, she could spent some time in solitude. Something that was hard to come by at Hideout.

"Alright Miss. Just make sure that you don't go beyond the boundary. You remember them right?"

"Of course. I'd be an idiot not to."

"You liar," Toke grinned, "you'd have to be bored still to actually want to remember them."

"Toke," Inare had to fake a gasp, "the manner in which you treat your devoted teacher… unbecoming."

"You dragged me out here! That's not devotion, it's cruelty at this point."

Laughing in response, Inare waved him off dismissingly. "Sorry, sorry. I'll make it up to you at some point."

"You had better Miss Inare," he grinned, "you sure have dragged me through hell for this training."

Inare grinned in response. "How about some chocolate then? Would that be appropriate repayment."

His eyes widened, disbelief shining from the dark iris. Even with the green headband keeping his forehead warm she could tell that he was wrinkling his forehead and Inare restrained from laughing. "You don't…" he spoke slowly as if not wanting her to confirm his suspicion.

"I do," her grin could have been classified as menacing, but it was mostly just the cold.

"H-h-how? How did -"

"I do believe in doctor patient confidentiality."

At that he frowned. "Miss Inare, I don't think that you should be doing..." he mumbled off and Inare took a step forwards as she crossed her arms.

"What was that?" The boy suddenly looked excruciatingly uncomfortable, so Inare frowned. "Come on Toke, you can tell me."

He shifted on his feet a little. Stuttered about while avoiding her eyes, before finally speaking a full and understandable sentence. "You've been getting some really nice stuff recently," his eyes tracing down her body, likely focusing on the scarf and gloves she currently wore, "and, well, nice stuff is hard to come by."

"What are you implying there Toke?"

"Nothing, nothing." The boy was wildly waving his hands in his defence. Something she tended to do, but to see someone else do it quickly made her realise how ridiculous it looked.

Inare knew exactly what he was implying there, and it irritated her. She was definitely not irritated with Toke, she knew the boy well enough to know that he wouldn't have thought about such things unless someone else suggested it first. "Whose been putting those ideas into your head?" The warning was there in her stiff tone, further enhanced as she crossed her arms.

"Dai-"

Of course it has to be Daichi. "Well, you just tell Daichi that he's pissed that I'm better at this bartering game than he'll ever be," Inare snapped. She didn't mean to sound so aggressive, but watching him flinch at her outburst quickly dropped her anger.

"Miss Inare. It wasn't Daichi. It was actually Daisuke."

Making a face, Inare continued to glare at Toke. "Whose Daisuke?"

"He's in Team Fifteen."

Not like that was any help to her. "Am I supposed to know him?"

"I don't know, he works primarily with the armorer… he's a pretty big gossiper."

Sighing aloud, Inare felt her shoulders slump. It wasn't exactly guilt, but it also wasn't far off. "I have chocolate, and it's is a hilarious story of how I got my hands on it. Get the bark, head back to Hideout, make the salves and I'll maybe tell you all about it when I get back. I'll be back to help with the salves, regardless."

"Sorry Miss. I didn't mean to-"

"I know you didn't," Inare sighed out again. Reaching up to massage her brows Inare glanced up at Toke who looked conflicted at what else to do. "You're a good kid Toke. Just ignore whatever shit people say."

"But, they sometimes say really... crude things about you and other women. It's wrong."

What else should she expect? These shinobi had been confined to a fortress for two months, of course they would come up with wild stories in order to pass the time and piss each other off. Hell if she wasn't constantly busy with either training Toke or carrying out some of the duties put onto her, she'd probably be doing the same.

"Like I said, ignore it all. You're above that level of crudeness."

"Alright," he didn't sound satisfied in the slightest, "I'll go now. Just don't go too far Miss Inare and make sure your back before it gets dark! And don't wonder too f-"

He vanished quickly with the nearly full basket, his voice resonating back to her from the tree tops where he'd vanished too. It definitely looked a lot quicker to be bouncing through the tree like that.

Inare watched after him for a second, a sad smile on her face as slight realisation began to daunt onto her. That could explain the bruises this week. Shaking her head, Inare was torn for how she should feel about that. As sweet as it was for Toke to be getting into fights for defending her and other women's honour, she did not need the kid getting beat up and becoming a hindrance to himself, his team and finally her.

Either way, the gesture remained endearing and she could not fault him for it too much. Feeling a quick shiver run the length of her spine, Inare began moving so as to warm up. Her steps were awkward in the snow as she dragged open a path. Getting back would be considerably easier. Just as long as she returned the same route.

It didn't take too long for her body to begin heating up from the exertion of all the heavy walking. Slowly she pulled off her gloves and shoved them into her jacket pocket. Next the scarf followed.

Her cheeks stung from the cold air while her lungs burned, but it felt good to really be pushing her whole body like this. Inare wasn't exactly one for heavy exercise, there was no need for it in her lifestyle, but after weeks of being crammed up in Hideout, and even longer with one leg constrained this was the perfect was the shake off all resulting frustration.

Not to mention force all lingering thoughts about irritating clan heads out of her head. Inare knew she could be silly. Way too silly for someone in her position and of her age. And yesterday had truly proven the extent of her foolishness.

Why Madara tolerated her to such an extent was a continuous surprise for her. She liked to think that they got along, and there was enough to prove so. The gloves and scarf spoke for themselves, but the alcohol, well... you don't exactly share alcohol with those you disliked.

At least she hoped no one did. Would be such a waste.

Another long step through the thick snow and Inare stumbled over something. She dropped to her knees, the snow beneath them crunching as it pillowed her drop. With an effort she got back to her feet and pushed a low branch out of her way.

She'd entered a clearing.

The snow was much thicker here due to the lack of shielding by the trees, but it appeared to have been disturbed by animals.

Inare paused on the edge of the clearing and surveyed around the tree line that encompassed it. A spike of uncertainty that she could only describe as paranoia hit her in the chest and Inare physically recoiled from the thought of walking right through that clearing. She took acouple of steps back into the tree line and began trudging around.

Longer, yes. Unnecessary, more than likely. Inare just really did not want to push her luck.

Still, the tree line was much thinner so close to the large clearing, the trees a lot more dispersed so if there was something out that that posed a danger to her this wasn't exactly going to prevent it.

Everything was absolutely drenched and she cursed her lack of skin pants that would have provided at least a small amount of waterproofing. Her body was cooled as her pace slowed in her caution and Inare figured that shed need to throw on her scarf and gloves on soon.

She licked her lips and regretted it instantly as the cold air quickly dried them. Fuck she hated winter once the novelty of the first snows had passed. It was beyond miserable.

Pausing to a halt, Inare decided it was time to put on her gloves again and began rooting through the deep pockets of her jacked to find them. Pulling them on, she took a couple more steps forward before her body instinctively lurched away from the suddenly rising dark figure.

The movement was so quick that it took Inare a whole second to realise that she gone from standing to now lying in the snow with a rough hand was pressed tightly to her mouth.

So she decided to scream and begin thrashing, because that was a very sane and logical approach in her mind at that moment.

"Calm it," was hissed at her and on hearing the voice she did.

Turning her head to the direction of her captive, she froze on staring into the large red eyes of Madara. Her heart raced for a moment as the intensity in those eyes before her blood ran cold at the memory of what they could do.

Swallowing the fear she nodded, it was a long while before he removed his hand then took a few breaths before she felt like she could talk again, the last minute had been sudden rush.

It was just her luck that something like this would happen to her.

"What are you doing?"

"Shush her would you," was hissed from the other side of Madara and Inare looked over to see who it was. She just about spied the second clan head when her head was shoved back down towards the snow.

"Keep your head down," he hissed back at her. He was doing that a lot.

Restraining from making a face at his rudeness, she glanced back at Madara who was focused on something ahead of him.

"What's happening?" She whispered, tacking care this time to be extra quiet.

Madara glanced back at her with those eyes of his and Inare shuddered. "We've been tracking two

shinobi for the last two kilometres. They look to be circling the fort." He was hissing again, but not with any malice or annoyance. It was probably just the way he spoke when he was trying to whisper.

That struck an uncomfortable chord in Inare. "Did they see me?" "Not sure."

"Then wont they get suspicious if I suddenly just vanish?"

Neither of them responded at first, Inare hoped it was because they where deeply considering the implications of her statement there. It was then Izuna's voice that peaked up as he just said, "Probably."

"Should I get back up now then?" Now she was really beginning to worry. It was likely that she had just messed up something important here, and somehow landed herself in the middle of troubles he really had no part in.

"Not something I highly recommend for you, but if you are feeling daring you better make sure you run fast," it came from Izuna again, and Inare resisted snapping back. She doubted she'd like his response.

"What?" The thought of being chased, in the snow. Completely defenceless, never having a single bit of experience in fighting in her life...

Madara gave a low chuckle. "Calm it, he's just messing with you. They didn't see you, I think. They moved out of sight a few minutes before you began skirting around the clearing. We were just waiting in case they returned before we followed."

"That's not funny," now it was Inare hissing as she tried very hard to keep her temper in check.

At that he chuckled deeply while on the other side Inare was certain that she heard a groan from Izuna before he rose to his knees. "I think we're good to pursue." And began trudging his way through the snow in the direction she now knew that snow shinobi had gone.

"Good. Inare, you're best off heading back towards the fort. You know your way from here right?"

"Yeah, but that means I'll have to go that way," pointing in the direction Izuna was heading, "isn't that where you're guys went?"

"Yeah, go around the other way. It'll be longer, but mostly safer."

"Mostly? How wonderful," Inare didn't want to sound petulant at the thought at having to trudge further through the snow than she had initially planned for today, but it was getting hard to! Her feet must have been on the route to frostbite and she was damned cold.

Damn she was a real piece of work for having willingly dragged her student into this just because she wante-

"Fuck," Inare drew out, her heart hammering in her chest.

Madara and Izuna who had begun making their way stopped, well Madara stopped while Izuna carried on after a quick glance.

"Madara!" Inare near cried out, awkwardly running through the thick snow towards him with her arms wide open to try and stabilise herself. All the while Madara looked like he was holding in a laugh, he opened his mouth to likely comment but Inare beat him too it by rapidly blurting. "Toke went in that direction!"

Madara at least had the dignity to look a little sheepish as he asked, "Who?"

"The kid I'm teaching! Toke!" Inare was losing her patience with him today, which was something new for her. Originally she couldn't stand him, then she somewhat tolerated him and now she was getting stroppy with him. It was all happening very sudden for her.

"Is he going to be okay?"

"Ohh, well," he scratched the back of his head, "... not really."

"Nah, he's fucked," Izuna chipped in at the entirely wrong time as Inare's stress levels must have peaked then.

"Then go do something about it!" Inare yelled and pointing in the direction of Toke. She hadn't meant to yell, but Madara clamped a hand over her mouth before she got too loud.

"Screaming down the entire forest really won't help us," Madara looked irritated but released her without another word. "Do you know where we might find him?"

Inare didn't really want to outright say no. How bad of a teacher would that make her? "Somewhere you can find Beech bark?" Inare helpfully suggested instead.

"Oh, you mean like the whole forest?" Madara asked none too helpfully.

Inare flapped for a moment knowing that it wasn't much to go on, "I kind of ran out of things to

teach him, so brought him out here to show him some plants."

Looking less than impressed as he rose a fine brow, Inare was getting the faintest impression that she was being judged. "Don't look at me like that," she blurted, "I don't know how to be a good teacher."

At that he did roll his eyes and Inare fumed a bit. "Putting aside you poor lesson planning abilities for now, do you have a better idea as to where he could have gotten to?"

"No, like, he wouldn't have steered too far from the fortress or the road to it. We've been out for a while now, so he's probably looking to head back soon. Maybe Toke's actually back at the fortress already," Inare could feel a possibility of that relief beginning to grow in her and it made her heart soar.

"Still not much to go on, but better than nothing. I guess."

"What are you going to do then?"

He shrugged and Inare wanted to smack him for his nonchalant attitude to this potential disaster. She did, whacking at his arm, and then groaned loudly. "I'll find them myself."

"Oh no you don't." Madara returned, taking her by the shoulder and turning her around.

"I'm not just going to leave him!" Inare fumed, shaking out of his hold.

"I wasn't suggesting that you do. I do however have an idea."

"Really?" Inare's heart soared and all the sudden the cold did not seem so frightening and the growing darkness of the forest so looming. "What?"

"You won't like it."

Inare became hesitant to show her previous keenness for the plan now. "Well..."

"So, there are four assailants out there. We could track them using the snow but that could just as easily lead us into a trap." Inare was grateful that he was taking the time to explain this all to her, as she really did not know the first rule of combat in the snow, but she was really beginning to get worried. "Which was initially what we were planning on doing. But it would seem like we have to -"

"Could you just get on with it. You dragging this out," Inare pressed.

"Well, I don't like to rush things. You know the journey matters really just as much as the arriving at the destination," now she knew he was messing with her now that he'd decided to spout all this. "As I was saying-"

"And as I had just told you, hurry it up."

"Brother, if you finished. I'd have to agree with the medic here, hurry this up so I can go defrost my nuts." Inare was startled by Izuna's crudeness but tried to ignore him as best as she could.

"In time, little brother. A good plan takes thought and time." Madara remarked while glancing over at his brother.

"If I left it all to you, you'd be planning for years." Izuna chipped back with an uncharacteristic grin that left Inare feeling chilled.

"Scheming is my forte," Madara gloated with a grin, arms wide and way too relaxed given the situation. "Anyway, back to what's important. Inare, I have a favour to ask of you."

"I think I'm going to go with a no for that."

He looked mildly offended at her sharp note but the humour crinkling at his eyes told her that he

was still just teasing her. "You haven't even heard it."

"I don't think I trust you."

"But you were just praising all my wonderful qualities the other day."

Sputtering, Inare felt heat rise right up her neck and face. "I was not." And she held by that.

Behind them, Inare could almost hear Izuna roll his eyes. As if that man needed more fuel to hate her.

"I'm very sure you were," he mused hand rising to his chin as if to ponder the thought. "Granted they mostly weren't wonderful features. I feel you gave the faintest impression of infatuation." Inare could not understand how a man with such a deep voice and sinister appearance with those red eyes of his could come across as so harmlessly teasing. That likely terrified her more about him.

"You know, I think I'll just take my chances with the snow shinobi." Inare near snarled, choosing to trudge the way back to the fortress alone. All shinobi be damned, they weren't' worth the trouble.

"But that's all my plan includes," Madara called out to her. Despite her irritation, Inare paused a looked back at the grinning Madara and the bored Izuna. "All you'll have to do is just walk back."

"What?"

"You heard me."

Inare gave him a sceptical look, "I'm not convinced."

"And I was trying so hard," Madara gushed while rolling his eyes.

Inare hardened her eyes at his mild dramatics. "Is that really all?"

"Yes."

Inare frowned, not seeing what was the point in having drawing this out if that's all she had to do. Biting her bottom lip, she nodded in agreement. "Alright."

"There is just one other thing," which was when Inare learned a valuable life lesson in always asking for the finer details of Madara's plans.

* * *

"You really disappoint me at times," Izuna muttered as he watched the unhappy medic trudge away in defeat with only a kunai given to her by Madara for her defence. As soon as Madara had revealed to her exactly what it was he wanted, there had been more bickering between the two before she finally yielded.

He'd never know why his brother bothered with beating around the bush. Was a direct approach not the most effective one? Madara was an excellent tactician, not many could stand beside him in that regard, but he couldn't help but believe that one day, one of his many serpentine and convoluted plans was going to get him killed. Not this one, it was relatively simple, but definitely something grander would be what did him in.

"Don't say that Izuna. It was all a little fun." Madara dismissed with an easy smile. His brother had been a lot more relaxed as of the last few days. Offering easy grins and taunts.

"No, I swear this is all to satisfy the perverse part of you," Izuna decided on.

"Me and him are one and a whole."

"I just don't understand why you tolerate her so much. Not to mention to way she speaks to you." Madara could see the visible distaste on his brother and a part of him was off put by the response.

Izuna shook his head to be rid of the irritation that that built up towards his brother, then glanced back to see the medic now vanish through the tree line. "Let's now hope she doesn't die today."

"Is that concern? Odd, coming from you."

Izuna brushed off the statement with a shrug. "She's been a pretty useful medic."

"That she has been."

"That still doesn't dismiss that fact that she's a foreigner."

"So are a lot of the people we deal with."

"For trade and resources, yes. But kept around as an aid, within our camps and now our fortresses. No." Madara wouldn't have had to look to see the near sneer on his brother face.

"She's training an individual."

"Oh yes, a single shinobi. Such a feat."

"Better than nothing, and you should know not to look a gift horse in the mouth."

"I know, and I wouldn't. I'd kick it."

"You do realise that we'll never make any progress with that attitude." It wasn't said with any intention to hurt or chastise his younger brother, but Madara did see Izuna bite the inside of his mouth before he suddenly went silent and his eyes danced away from him.

Izuna knew he was being a tad bit petulant, as did Madara. He just could never bring himself to call his brother out on it. "Anyhow, time to get on with it. No use in having a plan if your not going to keep to it." Izuna still hadnt said anything. "You want to take the rear or front?"

"I know which you want." Izuna dryly commented, not taking long to drop back into his normal character.

"Well, I could take both." Madara chucked, knowing full well he was capable of handling this alone.

Sighing out, Izuna shook his head. "I'll take the rear. You go front so you can stop your little medic from getting killed."

"Oh, that's what you meant." Chucking to himself and shaking his head at his brother, it wasn't often that Izuna could spark a joke. So hed take it. "Well never mind that for now, we got snow shinobi to kill." Offering Izuna a grin that was likely a little too sardonic considering what was about to happen.

The two of them quickly split on taking to the tree. Madara pursued Inare, remaining a far enough distance that he would not be detected. But damn she was slow, which forced him to come to a near stop as she trudged through the thick snow, making a complete fool out of herself with all the times that she audibly fell.

It was at that moment Izuna's question popped into his mind. Why the hell did he tolerate her?

Asides from healing, she possess no other skill set that could be of use, and even fewer skills to keep her alive in these lands. If there was ever a raid on their camp, only luck would keep her alive.

He company was entertaining enough he supposed, but that wasn't exactly a winning factor given the frequency that she liked to belittle him. Not to mention many members of his clan did not tolerate foreigners as well as he did, namely his brother. So for his sake and those around him, getting rid of her would have been within the best interest of the clan and himself.

So why not?

Madara was hesitant to think it, but he had asked himself this before. Namely when she had attempted to leave their encampment unchecked. Had it not been for Ebisu's obsessive nature, she might have actually left successfully.

Then what? There was an unknown individual that had details of camp arrangement and movements potentially.

That would have dropped the dropped confidence in the clan and its elders in his leadership. For lack of better words, it could have ruined in.

So he again seriously asked himself, why keep her around?

He was curious of her. He tutorship was something he wanted further answers to, Tskuyomi had only given him glimpses of who it was that had trained her and he did want to confirm his suspicions at a later date. But that was only personal curiosity. He wouldn't personally pursue it, it would be a waste of resources after all.

Then there was her kidnapping by the Kaguya clan, that scroll which he kept meaning to check over was still among his possessions. Keeping her around might lead to unearthing answers as to why didnotsuspectherintheslightest,buttherewasstillsomethingtobefound.

Then there was that moment returning to camp. He supposed that at that moment he saw something he had not seen for a long time. Not since before he was elected to lead the clan.

Weakness.

Devastation.

He had watched a woman who had previously appeared so sure of herself fracture before his eyes, and while he should have sympathises with her emotional turmoil his mind was more preoccupied with attempting to rationalise with the woman.

Inare didn't uphold the same boundaries towards the Clan hierarchy like all Uchiha's, Senju, Uzumakis and Huugas did. She didn't give two shits about it because she didn't understand, and he was willing to bet that she didn't care to. She understood that he was effectively her boss, but she didn't treat him as her General which was what he was to all Uchiha's.

She didn't think of showing him weakness, fear, anger or her occasional stupidity as shameful. There was no pretence, nor unnecessary politeness. There was just Inare and her frequent sarcasm and cockiness, but mostly her honesty.

At which point he decided. "Crap, she'd just like Izuna."

He couldn't decide whether he was forcing himself to see that or not, but some other similarities began to drop in on his mind. She had many pre -conceived notions and can be unwilling to see alternate views. Prefers their own company to that of others, can be dismissive, a shit sense of humours... Well not entirely similar given that Inare was clearly a lot more passionate about human life than Izuna, but he did feel that there was something to go by.

In the same way he was with his brother, he found that it was much easier to relax around her because he did not feel as if he hand to uphold his position.

Maybe his brother was right, just fuck the girl and get it out of his system. But even that did not settle well within him. While it had been some time, and he was curious as to what she would be like, he did not feel that there was a need to be so dispassionate about such a decision.

Not to mention the time was really not his to decide what to do with it.

This was too much reflection for what should have been just a routine perimeter check with his brother. It wasn't protocol for the two of them to do it, but it was moment like this that he craved given that it was the only way to spend time with his brother.

Now there was mess with snow shinobi. Mess with Inare and her student.

Next time he was just going to force Izuna to sit down and have a proper drink and meal with him. Maybe the two of them could just ditch everything and go off gambling or whoring. The Senju leader did it, and so long as they didn't end up in the same place Madara couldn't see what he couldn't

Then he realised why he couldn't.

He didn't know the first thing about gambling, but the whoring he could do. It would also take for him to drug and forcibly drag Izuna away for that to ever happen.

When did spending time with your brother become so hard? Just communicating with him about something other than strategies, supply routes and resources was an effort.

Madara stopped on a tree branch as Inare had stumbled again and was cursing and stomping as she attempted to shake out all the snow that appeared to fallen inside her clothing.

You wouldn't think that watching something as ridiculous as Inare shaking snow out of her back could give perspective. And you'd definitely be right in thinking so. It did allow Madara to return to his previous thoughts which seemed to have gotten all tangled up.

Quickly sensing Izuna not far behind, Madara was quickly urged to speed up and rush ahead of her a couple of paces and he quickly began surveying the direct surrounding. He couldn't sense any shinobi yet, but any good shinobi should be able to hide their presence from this distance. Inare was in all regards the perfect distraction, loud, clumsy and just about everything that would draw your attention. Middle of the forest, lone defenceless woman.

It made him no less conscious of what he had pushed her into, he was very aware of the danger but she had been determined to find her student, so who was he to deny her that right.

Grinning grimly her continued ahead of him he could feel Izuna close by. At the pace they had been going their couldn't be far now from the enemy, so Madara locked away all unnecessary thoughts and focused back on the task ahead.

Inare knew she was far enough into the forest now that she had to begin calling out for Toke, and she did. Her voice booming outwards in a desperation that she really should not have been feeling. She followed a sort of pattern that largely consisted of one loud shout and two quieter ones. Her steps where becoming slowed, clumsier as the wind picked up bringing with it a biting cold.

A few minutes in, he sensed one. Only for a fraction of a second, they were doing an excellent job at hiding their presence, all he needed now was to find the boy. Their priority after all.

"Toke! Where are you?" Inare shouted for the eight time and Madara continued to focus, he didn't know what this boys chakra felt like, he didn't know the kid all that well. But Inare did, and a slight flare of chakra that was quickly snuffed out caught both his and Inare's attention.

"Toke! I'm coming!"

And Inare stumbled into a run that had her nearly falling into the snow each step, but she kept up the face for a decent amount while Madara remained always ahead of her in the tree line.

Each jump from branch to branch had to be thought out and calculated, a wrong step and some slippery ice could have him falling to the ground. Not that falling was a problem, it just defeated the purpose of the entire stealth thing.

Slowing down to reduce the distance between them, Madara began drawing a single kunai as sense the slight signs of chakra not far away.

This one was moving and towards them quickly. Specifically towards Inare. It was only with his mangekyo activated that he was made aware of the rapid approach of an incredibly fast shinobi. Years of rapid reflex was all that allowed him to prepare a weapon and drop down from the tree in time to present a large sword from crashing down right through Inare's torso.

Even he felt the weight of the shionbi's attack through the sword and he was pushed down through a good amount of snow.

Snow shinobi were highly trained in these conditions and managed effectively with fewer layers that allowed them an advantage with speed. This man was no exception and moved with a speed that would have cut down any mid-range shinobi that was not prepared for this level of confrontation.

Behind him he heard Inare fall to the ground, but that was far from his mind as his opponent withdrew his weapon and was no directing his attack from an angle that forced him to shift position to now face in Inare's general direction.

This put his back against the two other snow shinobi and at a sudden disadvantage that he was quick to recognise.

"Inare, run!" He shouted at her just before he pushed chakra to the soled of his feet to propel a jump skywards giving him enough height to flip backwards just as a second shinobi charged right at him with a spear.

Landing in the snow was never easy and he struggled to stay upright and dropped to a knee in time to narrowly miss the swing from the spear-wielding shinobi.

Fuck he hated snow shinobi. Madara was just not experienced enough in the snow, and given that he only experienced a couple of weeks of it a year it just wasn't worth the time.

He rolled forwards to put him within the span of the shinobis arm and threw a punch upwards that landed right at his chin. He wasted no time in grasping hold of the shinobis hair and further crushing his face by driving it down onto his upcoming knee.

He felt the sudden weight of the shinobi as he likely dropped out of consciousness and with an effort Madara hauled his body up in order to shield him form the barrage of shuriken that were whirled in his direction. All of them embedded themselves deeply into the likely now unconscious and dying shinobi.

Exhaling a heated steam of breath Madara pushed his senses outwards to find the third shinobi that he knew to be around and quickly sensed Izuna's presence close to that individual.

Good, Izuna was much better at keeping an opponent alive. That left this last one all to him.

He could no longer see or sense Inare in the direct location, which he hoped meant she had properly gotten away.

Now all that was left was the shinobi with the sword that had first attacked Inare.

If his strength from the initial attack was anything to go by, Madara was hoping for an interesting confrontation that would likely be all the more satisfying in ending him.

Madara took a long few seconds to survey his opponent. Fractionally shorter than himself and possibly lighter, aiding with the ease of movement on the snow and he wielded a light sword. All this game away to swift movement, none of which aided him too much.

"Shame about you friend…" Madara began, a wry smile forming, "but, you know how it is."

The shinobi's hardening face was not the response he'd wanted to pull, but not all unfortunate. "Still, you did me a great favour there," smile morphed into a grin and Madara watched the shinobis nostrils flare, "thanks for th-"

Then his eyes blazed with rage as he charged rapidly towards Madara delivering long swings that were well aimed for someone who had let their emotions get a hold of them.

Madara was quickly put into the defensive, blocking what attacks he could with just a kunai but most edging himself backwards.

His opponent knew he had the advantage on the snow, and Madara liked that he knew as much.

Diving to the side Madara rolled out of the way from a downward strike and was already finished with the hand signs when he shifted into a crouch and released a powerful kanto.

The snow shionobi effortlessly dodged, all the while Madara was grinning.

The kanto simultaneously melted the snow while scorching the ground beneath, releasing a blast of steam from the ground that forced the snow shinobi to move further in order to escape being scolded.

He didn't get out entirely unscathed, the shinobi's skin was flushed red as he dived out of the snow. He missed the punch that Madara had aimed at his stomach, and stumbled backwards towards the now fading steam. In return he delivered a miscalculated kick that caught by plunging his kunai into the mans shin.

He howled and tried to regain some footing to no success as the kunai was pulled out and he stumbled to the ground.

Frowning, Madara slowly paced his way over to the man. "You didn't even try," he chastised softy, too disappointed to even bother with the effort it would take to be annoyed. "Letting that anger cloud your mind… kills you know?" The snow shinobi glared back at him, red faced and seething through his teeth. Saliva and blood mixed together and oozed through his teeth.

"Fuck you, Uchiha." He hissed out, first words he had heard from the man.

He didn't think it was possible to even more disappointed with someone that he currently was. "You were definitely weaker than the last snow shinobi I fought…or, maybe I've been overestimating you guys all this time." That got another response from the man, shouting profanities at him and nonsenses that Madara ignored with ease.

"Well, enjoy the journey over." Drawing a new kunai, Madara pressed on foot on the mans chest and dropped to a crouch. "I'll make it quick." A bitted laugh emitted from the soon to be dead man and Madara almost found himself mimicking it.

A tight grip, Madara raised it enough to have the right driving force to plunge the kunai in his head killing him instantly.

"Not that one Madara," he heard Izuna shout from behind and Madara felt himself slump in irritation. Still looking down at the shinobi he rolled his eyes while pressing down a foot heavily on what was likely a good couple of broke ribs from his punch as he rose to a stand.

"You lucked out," Madara commented, the lie dropping easily from his mouth.

* * *

"You got him?" Izuna shouted over to him and Madara met his look and responded with a nod and vocal confirmation.

Izuna then directed his attention back to the younger Uchiha. "You alright kid?"

He'd found the boy with ease once he had dispatched of the third shinobi. Him and the young Uchiha had been off slightly eastwards to where Madara had been fighting. Izuna had intended to take him prisoner himself, but he had proven to be a slight challenge that capturing him had quickly become an impossibility. Death appeared to be the only option and it worked quite well for him.

Except they still needed to know about these snow shinobi, so without much hesitation he had unbound the young boy and began racing back towards Madara to try and stop him from killing all of them.

He made it in time to stop his brother without much effort, and the boy, probably at a loss for what else to do, had followed him.

"Yes, sir." The boy splutter a bit, although more likely from the cold that fear. "Injuries?" "None."

Pleased on hearing that, Izuna glanced over at the scene. One successfully incapacitated enemy and three dead. All of which had been solid combatants. "You got lucky," Izuna felt the need to inform the youngest.

Toke, he believed his name was, had made a good effort at looking brave throughout, but he could see that through the façade was a fracture confidence at having been taken hostage. Toke nodded in agreement. Incredibly lucky.

"Did they-"

"I didn't tell them anything sir!" The young one quickly interrupted, his tone firm but the desperation apparent. While Izuna was inclined to believe him, he was equally tempted to confirm through other means. But the young one being an Uchiha, such an action would not go without questions.

"Are you certain?" Izuna found himself slowly asking, the concern from before slowly dropping away to reveal something that had the boy looking uncertain.

"Yes sir. I was... I was incapacitated. No questioning took place between then and now."

Nothing was said for a long minute as Izuna assessed both the situation and the boys state. There was no reason not to believe him, it just wasn't the way he operated to leave loose threads.

Izuna turned around to grab his brother attention. It would be best to do this while it was just the three of us (omitting the unconscious snow shinobi of course), however he quickly found that his brother had vanished. He could sense his chakra not too far off, heading in the direction of the medics it would seem.

In normal situations he would consult this matter with his brother. Despite both of them holding the highest position of authority in the clan, Madara still managed to generate more respect and leadership qualities than Izuna ever had. So Madara's word would be decisive whatever investigation followed his own inquiries into the boys brief captivity. Yet, Izuna hesitated knowing that given the situation and who he was dealing with, he suspected that his brother would likely reject his request to properly interrogate the young'un.

And Madara wasn't here… Well, in which case, what Madara didn't know wouldn't hinder him.

* * *

He could sense her chakra fifty meters ahead of him. It was a large oak tree that was semi collapsed and she was likely hiding behind it or in it. He couldn't tell, but either one was equally ridiculous. Regardless, she must have sensed him now he was getting so close and the crunch of the snow beneath his feet should have given away to the fact that someone was approaching.

That said, given that he had managed to so effortlessly sneak up on her before and pull her to the ground should really have given away her incompetence with situational awareness. But Madara was cold and fed up of being outside of the fort and was mostly just thinking along the line of get the medic, grab the hostage and head back.

Close enough now to the tree he could sense that she was hiding behind it, which he supposed was marginally better than being inside the hollowed aged oak. At least that way she would have had an easier time escaping without having to scramble her way to the entrance and likely be killed on the spot.

It was all really predictable. Untrained individual did tend to hide in the most inconvenient of places that offered them no easy escape and constricted their movements.

Then again, Inare was predictable in many ways. At least once he had gotten to understand her a bit more she was increasingly more predictable. Something he was phenominally glad he'd not spoke aloud

Inare screamed in what could have been terror as her raised arm was brought down with a piercing force.

Madara gave a shout of pain as his brain really caught up with what had just occurred.

She'd stabbed him in the shoulder… with the kunai he'd given her.

With his jaw locked in a tight grip over a shout of pain, Madara managed to resist initially pulling out the kunai in reflex to it's initial penetration. Being stabbed fucking sucked, granted it was in the shoulder so not as bad as it could have been… but fuck…

And Inare was still screaming, which he didn't understand. It was him that had gotten stabbed, by her no less with his kunai.

"Why are you screaming?" He shouted at her with all the combined pain and irritation, all the while managing to hold both hands her hands as they continued to tightly grip at the kunai.

She stopped, quite suddenly. Brown eye wide and glazed over with panic that was quickly becoming unshed tears. "I... I... eyy... Ithi... i..." she was muttering incoherently and that really did not settle well with the searing pain in his shoulder.

"Use your damn speaking words," he gritted out through the pain, quickly running out of patience with her feebleness.

"I stabbed you!"

"No shit!" Who else could have stabbed him? He got that it was in a moment of fear that she reacted as such, she clearly been expecting an enemy and not her and yes she should have announced himself earlier. He couldn't help but think that if he hadn't been going to reassure her of her students safety and her own then this would not have happened. He could have just let her wonder back to fortress eventually.

He could have just shouted out to her that they had captured the snow shinobi. But no, he had decided to approach her and gently inform her of. Last time he ever handed over a weapon to her that could be used to injure himself, or involved himself in ensuring her safe keeping. Either one really would have avoided this unnecessary injury.

He tried to shrug his shoulder as the irritation began to build up there, but stopped mid motion when the pain became excruciating.

He must have winced as Inare's hands dropped from the kunai while the panic dropped from her face as the concern took place. She hissed out a curse as her nimble fingers began inspecting the wound. Madara in the meantime had grown too irritated with the pain that he moved to pull the kunai right out despite all the reasons not to.

"Are you stupid? Don't do that!" Lunging to grab back at the kunai.

"Why not?" Madara snarled back, furious as Inare held the kunai exactly where it was.

"You know exactly why!" She snarled herself, not liking his attitude one bit because he did know, and quickly conceded to that fact with a grimace.

"I can fix th-"

"Just. Leave it." He gritted out in pain to which Inare winced and then finally began to show something along the lines of guilt. With that he turned away and stiffly began walking back to Izuna with one arm supporting the other to reduce the pain. He'd get Ebisu to sort it out, and if he was too busy then by then he'd possibly be a little less pissed off at Inare to let her do it.

He covered the hundred or so meters in a handful of minutes, not finding himself in any rush, why should he be when ahead of them Izuna was in the process of interrogating the incapacitated snow shinobi.

* * *

Instead of the aggressive and sardonic attitude that Inare had expected from the younger sibling, he was soft spoken as he talked with their captive.

Toke stood beside the clan head with his hands behind his back, he stood uncertain of what he was doing as the interrogation went on. Even with the apparent cluelessness the young boy still held onto the kunai at his leg with a relaxed grip.

Which showed clearly when the Uchiha's prisoner became aggressive and started shouting curses at Izuna. Toke flinched and drew the kunai. The action drew Madara's attention and he frowned at the boy while moving to low his weapon with his one good arm. "Easy now."

Toke blinked quickly and nodded stiffly to Madara, while Inare really couldn't bring herself to look at Toke. This had entirely been her fault and would need to apologise sooner than later.

Madara had no sooner spoken than he began walking over to the prisoner and delivered a swift kick to the man's face that had him near flung to the ground and the shouting brought to a sudden end.

Inare flinched and took a step backwards in horror at the sudden brutality she had not expected. Sharply spinning, she could not watch as Madara dropped to a crouch in front of the floored man, all the while with the kunai still stuck in his shoulder.

She scrunched her eyes closed as a scream of pain ripped through the air, her neck sinking deep into her shoulder as her body unconsciously tried to shrink in on itself. She could not help but feel that this was phenomenally unnecessary, and yet recoiled at her own hypocrisy.

Opening her eyes, she turned back to watch.

Toke was watching her and took a step to try escort her away but she brushed off his concern and watched as Madara drug a finger into what was likely only a shallow wound on his calf, burrowing it deeper and deeper till his nails were likely scraping against the bone. All the while Madara gritted out his question to which the shinobi howled them out with sobs, his body beginning to shake. It did not last long as Madara appeared to have gotten his answer and withdrew the appendage from the wound while the man quickly drew his leg towards himself to.

Inare's attention turned to Toke and tried to understand the discofort on his face. And she couldn't.

When Shin had held her captive, she wanted nothing more than to see him die as painfully as possible. As he chased her through the cold rain she wanted his pain to be what eased her turbulent emotions.

Then here was Toke, visibly wanting to leave and have no part in this torture when it was him that should have been wanting retribution for all that he could have and would have done to him.

Around them the few hours of daylight that this part of the world saw were beginning to fade and the shadows within the forest grew as the air seemed to drop a few degrees. Inare shivered and wrapped her arms around herself. She wanted him to suffer, the same way him and his team would have made Toke suffer. Inare couldn't understand this sentiment, and that scared her.

* * *

Izuna glared all his irritation at Madara, wanting to berate him for going about this the entirely wrong way. Sure they had gotten the information that was required, but ultimately it might not even be true. Under severe pain and duress a prisoner would always give you the information you wanted simply to half the pain, validity had not weighing in on it.

Madara was now standing and moving away from their prisoner and Izuna watched him leave before his eyes caught the troubled looks of both the medic and the younger Uchiha. They looked like idiots just standing there… and when did Madara get stabbed in the shoulder?

He noticed it before but the wound didn't appear to be bother his brother so he did not bring it up. Then there was that shout from before, a female scream… Izuna wanted to conclude that it had been the medic doing, but he just couldn't bring himself to believe it.

The whole ordeal had ruined the moment to pull Toke into a genjutsu that would have left him disoriented enough to be easily susceptible to the Tsukuyomi where he could have validated the information. As instead of relaxed and unaware the boy had been on edge and expressing phenomenal desire to rush in the direction of the medic.

Irritating thing about the Tsukuyomi was the that effect of the technique depended entirely on the emotional state of the victim. In a battle where hormones and adrenaline was high to match the stress, the Tsukuyomiwould maximise those sensation. Obviously the victim would fight back, further exacerbating the degradation of their mental state and adding fuel the technique. Perfect for the battlefield.

Alternatively, if the victim was less aware of what was occurring then it was possible to slip them in and our with them simply feeling discomforted and uncertain of what had actually occurred. They would suspect that something was not right, but they could never really say what had occurred.

Izuna could not risk the boy being aware of the technique, and so he had lost the moment. It was a dangerous technique, and while rampantly popular fifty or so years ago it was not without its risks to their own clan. Too often had Uchiha's abused this technique to further their own motives. Unacceptable actions that Izuna would gladly punish with death. The Tyukuyomi should only be used for the advancement and protection of the clan. That was all. Even then, the technique left the used feeling sick. There was no denying it was a foul technique. that was unfortunately too useful to ignore.

Madara was very well aware of this, and so likely knew he had butchered Izuna's chance as effectively extracting the correct information.

Sighing out heavily as he directed his attention to the prisoner once again, his body felt heavy with extended fatigue and drained of whatever it was you needed to push you through the days. Today was turning into a long one.

* * *

They had moved as a group back towards the fortress in silence with only Madara and Izuna talking with each other and that was simply to confirm that they where returning. It took some time as they were now waiting on the slowed pace of the injured shinobi. Awkwardly Inare had to walk with Izuna as he supported the injured man, while Madara and Toke remained within a few meter perimeter constantly surveying the surroundings.

Thankfully it was silent, as there was nothing that she really wanted or could say to Izuna. As if it wasn't embarrassing enough that he had caught her and Madara possibly about in engage in something that she still refused to put a name to, now there was an injured man between that was in a certain agonising pain.

She sighed in relief when they finally returned to the base, Inare could have kissed the ground she was so happy it was all over. Madara still had that kunai embedded in his shoulder and was looking more and more angry about it. She needed to apologise. Then to Toke. Today was a mess, not to mention they didn't even have anything to show for it now that the weeds, roots and leaves they had painstakingly collected were now lost somewhere in the snowy forest.

On sight of the fortress, they were suddenly flunked by six Uchiha's that moved to relieve Izuna of the hobbling man, instantly the man was off giving ordered to them, splitting them up into group to run a scouting party and another to ensure that the prisoner was not going to die of infection or hypothermia.

The injured man at this point had chose to pick up another fight and on the transfer pushed at the Uchiha and ended up falling to the floor.

Inare frowned at the pathetic sight but had reached her limit and turned away toward Toke who was now looking a little lost for what to do. Approaching him, she didn't hesitate in pulling him in for a hug.

She wouldn't really classify herself as a highly affectionate person, but, it felt right as he returned the hug and grumbled out that he was glad she was okay. Inare in return grumbled an apology that Toke tried to brush off with a short laugh.

"You sure your okay though right?" Inare insisted.

"Don't worry about me Miss," he tried to reassure her, but she still didn't feel any better, "I wasn't hurt."

"Okay," she felt useless to help her student and it likely showed as they broke away from the hug and Toke near blinded her with a wide grin.

"Besides, if I was. I could heal myself all thanks to you." The grin was still there and Inare chuckled at his enthusiasm.

"Alright, lets not get ahead of ourselves now."

At that he shoved her shoulder teasingly, at which point he was called over by one of the new Uchiha shinobi who recognised him. Inare recognised Susumu and the man was ordering Toke to report to his captain. Isshin was probably going to have a fit, but that was a later problem.

Inare had only knocked off one of the problems on that list.

She still didn't know what to personally do in this situation so she glanced around to watch the prisoner get appropriately restrained with chakra restricting seals and then was in the process of being blindfolded. Izuna had taken full control of the situation while Madara was standing on the side overseeing it all.

With one apology down, Inare grit her teeth and made to do her second one of the day.

"Sorry," Inare managed to awkwardly tell him while all the commotion continued around them. He gave her a look that was less than forgiving and Inare shied away a little, turning to focus on the prisoner again for a moment until he grumbled. "Well, would you at least remove it? You know, since you stabbed me to begin with." He was not happy, but she supposed he could have been livid with her. Which he wasn't... she guessed.

"Right!" Keen to undo her mistake. Spinning around and lurching forwards at the injury. Fluidly removing a kunai from one of his pounces, an action that rose a brow, Inare quickly cut away at the surrounding material of his shirt. To find that there were a few more layers, not to mention that the height difference was making this procedure a little awkward for her.

"You're gonna need to sit," as she took a step back Inare took a quick turn of the surrounding environment for anything that might be of use. But with the ground covered in a good meter of snow, there wasn't much that could be of use. "Although I don't know where," she drew out when nothing presented itself.

"Fuck it," he muttered, putting pressure down on the wound with a grimace he turned his head to his brother. "Izuna, you got this right?" He probably didn't even need to ask, as Izuna didn't exactly give him a response… that is if your not counting glares. "The medics going to sort out her fuckup," nodding his head to the injured shoulder, "since I can't just pull it out."

He was definitely not happy.

The ever efficient man wasted not a single moment more as he turned again and nodded to her curtly. "Let's get in," and he began traipsing into the fortress motioning for her to follow towards the fortress.

It was a long time as they were walking through the long hall of the fortress that wound and turned so suddenly. It was a welcoming relief regardless to be out of the biting cold wind that had picked up in the last hour that they had been outside.

On the way Madara managed to hear Inare mumble something about her pack and she vanished quickly down one hallway leaving him hanging for a bit till she returned a few moments later. The two of them carried on in silence till she once again quietly spoke, this time asking where they were heading. "Cant stand the medics area," was the only response Madara could be bothered to give her and carried on.

He eventually lead her back to the room he tended to use while in Hideout.

The wooden door was rotted down with holes and gaps, fortunately this was a section of the fortress that none tended to venture around. Even his own commanders knew to give him some space so it never tended to bother him.

He was bothered much less by the bareness of the stone floored and walled enhanced a bitter coldness and only the dying fire at the centre of the room kept the chill off.

First thing he did was grab a couple of logs from the stack and threw them onto to pit, it was painful to reach down and grab them and he released a low groan as he did so. It was a relief to finally sit down and relax, which was exactly what he did, finding the spot where he had thrown his roll mat and pile of furs and blankets. It wasn't comfortable by any stretch of the imagination, but it was perfect for him.

He noticed that Inare was hanging around the door looking uncharacteristically shy as she surveyed the room. She'd been in here before once when the flue had hit them, he couldn't really remember much of it but it made her nervousness unnecessary. Or maybe it didn't.

Noticing him seated, she seemed to have arrived to whatever conclusion it was that she needed to move her towards him, the door swinging closed behind her. Kneeling be his side, she pulled the pack she'd fetched to her side and began rummaging around for her tools. It didn't take long for her meticulously lay out her instruments, ointments and liquids that she needed.

With rubbing alcohol, she began to loosen up all the dried blood from around the wound. It didn't take long for her to extend it in order to remove the weapon properly. All the while she worked in silence, and while he knew her to be an efficient medic that was highly dedicated to her practice, he didn't know her to be that quiet.

"You alright?" Madara eventually asked when her silence was beginning to unnerve him. She didn't tend to stay quiet for this long, if Inare was one thing it was chatty. The only time she knew her not to be was when she was seriously discomforted or upset.

He was going with the later, and possibly due to stabbing him.

He could have laughed at that, although his humour was certainly not directed towards her concern that was something he could come to appreciate.

She nodded mutely and then he definitely knew something wasn't okay with her, and as much as his brain urged him not to prod, he still managed to do so. "You could try harder to convince me."

"It may surprise you to know that I don't really care to convince you." Inare muttered back, and if there was any other conviction that he needed it was that.

He sighed out and leaned back against the wall in his room, his eyes dropping to a close that he didn't have to see her while spoke. "Is it about your student?"

No response, and she continued with making slow cuts around his wound with one hand while applying the rubbing alcohol with another. "Stabbing me?" He got out with it and more to his irritation she didn't still continued unhindered, all of which left him a little lost as to what was bothering her. It was only as she began easing the kunai out of his shoulder. "The violence?"

Finally he got a response, even if it was at his own expense as her removal of the kunai jolted for a moment adding more to his pain. Gritting his teeth he tried not to give it away but knew enough know on how to continue.

Opening his eyes, he tilted his head up to see as she finally removed the kunai entirely. No longer with the metallic weapon in his shoulder Madara could have sighed out in relief, but knew it was too soon to divert from the current mood of their conversation.

"You should get used to it, as it'll only get worse. You'll be exposed to more and more as time goes on and the battles become inevitably worse."

There wasn't much else he felt he could offer her other than the reality of her situation, anything else would simply be deceptive.

It took some time before she looked as if she could respond, and all the while she still couldn't quite bring herself to look at him.

"I mean, I've seen you fight in a battle, brief as it may have been, but that man was defenceless and you still just kicked him without a seconds thought. Just the suddenness of it all… it was… I can't… I don't mean to lecture you here, but it was…" she sighed out, frustration with herself evident, "I didn't expect it."

Her inability to look him in the face combined with her struggle to voice what was bothering her directed him to thinking that she didn't really understand what it was that had upset her.

Something which he could play no part in, she'd work it all out herself in her own time. Although the best he could do now was to probably take her mind off of it.

"Well, don't uphold any real expectations around an Uchiha. We're bound to disappoint whether we meet or exceed them."

That got a bark of laughter from her, and he severe expression dropped from her face as she finally met his. He found himself returning the smile despite the pain at his shoulder.

Eventually she was shaking her head at her own thoughts and directed her attention back at the wound that was bleeding again. Without hesitation she pressed down with force around the stab wound that was bleeding profusely now.

She could see the slight paleness to his skin, paler than the usual winter pasty colour that just about every Uchiha had.

The cold stone digging into her knees was beginning to both irritate and pain her, still she ignored in with ease as she placed her attention on dutifully healing the wound she had caused.

It was a strange sensation. Undoing what she had done. As she watched the stab wound that she had inflicted on Madara slowly decrease to nearly nothing she felt a strange sense of satisfaction that she had never before felt.

It brought a smile to her face that did not go unnoticed.

"You really had better not be grinning at having put me through all this shit."

"I'm not," she managed to force through her grin and a slight giddiness that was not convincing anyone.

"Yeah right. I know that look. Satisfaction of your fight."

"I'm not satisfied," she lied, because she really did not want to be the medic that admitted to having some level glee from having stabbed him. But Inare, not the medic Inare, but Inare Inare... she was pretty damn pleased with herself at having stabbed the strongest Uchiha.

She actually giggled.

"You are satisfied! Smug bitch."

"Hey!" Never in her life had anyone called her something like that to her face, and it brought her some level of hurt and irritation that was so brief that it left her feeling even more smug.

"This hurt you know!" Madara asserted as he pointed at the now healing wound.

"Well..." she had no backing to be insulted when he was completely in the right here. She was being a smug bitch, and damn it felt good. "Yeah, it felt good!" She finally admitted when saying anything else would have been too hypocritical.

Then he laughed, and while it both confused and excited her... she still ended up laughing too. Not really knowing why she was laughing, but it was elating in so many ways.

Still laughing she managed to choked out a, "this is crazy... I shouldn't be laughing at this, but I am."

Her head dropped onto his shoulder as her laugher continued to bubble out of her, her eyes were near watering and it felt so good to laugh straight from her belly with unlimited control.

His hand came up to drop onto the back of her head. "Alright, alright. I think I've had enough of you laughing at me," he sounded to be fed up of her laughing but the gentle touch at her head did not initially motivate her to stop laughing. It wasn't long before the laughter slowly burnt out and she could being to breathe again.

"I'm sorry. I really am sorry for stabbing you," she eventually managed to completely get out. "I didn't think it was you. I thought that if it was you would have at least said something."

Madara couldn't bring himself to respond to that, because he knew that such an action would have avoided it all, but we wasn't about to hand over that bit of information. It was embarrassing enough that she'd stabbed him to begin with, it could only be made worse by confessing his blunder.

"I wouldn't worry about it," he decided on when nothing else came to mind.

"I wouldn't worry about it," he decided on when nothing else came to mind.

"Oh, man. Today… today was not a good one." Inare mumbled into his shoulder, and he slowly let his hand drift down from her head to rest at her shoulder. "So much bad shit… too much over thinking it all too." That was something he could relate too. Although what was she over thinking? Hopefully not as messed up as his thoughts. "Makes me just wanna give up on thinking," she sounded sleepy as she mumbled that last bit. The weight of her entire body heavy against his as she slowly relaxed herself against his body.

It felt nice as she gave into her exhaustion and allowed herself to feel such degree of calm around him. It felt nice to be an individual in which another could share such peace with. It didn't happen enough that he could really appreciate the sensation.

But this moment, he figured, he would likely remember it for some time to come. If nothing other than for the comfort and calm that he could feel welling up in himself.

* * *

 **Not 100% happy with the ending, but really struggled to go with something else. Lemme know what you think.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

* * *

 **Im doing a lot of changes to the upcoming chapters, so thought i would put this one out quickly so you guys hopefully mind a bit of a wait.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

He would not have really classified it as being a warm day, but after the months of being snowed inside the old Uchiha fort with only a handful hours of daylight, this amount of sun beaming down was a cheerful reminder that the day would be a good one. Still early in the morning, the fresh air bit through his skin and Madara threw on an extra layer as he turned back into his temporary quarters to finish up checking that everything was packed and nothing was going to be left behind.

His weapons and tools where always packed, cleaned, sharpened, oiled and stored after each use, so he knew that he did not have to check them, but still checked for extra measures. They all resided in one large chest that was going to make its way out onto one of the carts. The rest of this stuff was contained to one decently sized pack that sat on the floor against the wall of the room.

While out on the field Madara never cared too much that he owned so little in this world other than clothing, weapons and a handful of family trinkets that could be considered heirlooms. In Hideout, he was always starkly reminded when his sparse possessions barely took up one corner of the large room that would have once belonged to an Uchiha clan head.

No doubt this room would have once possess a large bed, chest that where filled with piles of clothing, possibly even bookshelves that contained literature from all over this world along with some of the forgotten histories of their clan and volume after volume of books that depicted the strategies and tactics of war.

Madara could still clearly recall when he was a young boy his mother desperately tried to maintain the shreds of the Uchiha history as she had forced his father into letting her drag all those books from base to base for years. Back then he'd been young, too young to be training or fighting; so each night his mother would read to him and Izuna from those books. Filling his young mind with the encaptivating history and origins of the sharingan and chakra.

His father had been quick to dismiss them as nothing but embellished tales to glorify it. The younger him protested, defiantly wanting to believe that those precious stories his mother had shared with him where true.

A small part of him today still wanted to believe them. For they depicted a pure origin of the Uchihas, one were their cursed eyes, as some might call them, where born from an intense desire to see what the gods might see, so that they could have the strength to protect their loved ones.

Glorified, no doubt, but Madara wanted to believe that the power of their eyes was not a curse, but a blessing. It was a nice thought that would infrequently drift into his mind, but even after many years could still could bring a gentle smile to him.

Knowing that what little he possess was all packed away, he picked up his pack and swung it onto his back, then running quickly through the short hand signs he summoned a clone to help him lift the chest and carry it down the stairs to where the carts would be waiting to transport all their possessions, resources, foods and goods to the first base of this year's campaign.

It would take them just under a week to arrive at the farthest point of their eastern boarder where they would relieve the winter patrol that had been stationed for the last month. If the Senju had kept true to their temporary ceasefire treaty, then they would find the winter patrol securely stationed and they could begin setting up camp for the coming season.

Within days they would launch an attack on the region that held the Fukai -ana Mines. Strategically valuable due to the high quality iron ore mined there. If they could claim that land within the first month then they could quickly begin transporting the ores back to their motherland to replenish they ore stocks and earn a considerable profit.

Unsurprisingly the land currently belonged to the Senju, so obliterating their presence there was essential to their success. Madara was confident that they would be able to claim those mines relatively quickly. Recce teams had been in and out of that place all winter surveying the land. Two months of planning and training had gone into the attacks that would follow on their arrival, this was not going to fail.

It would be the biggest victory his clan would have seen for a number of years if they succeed, but Madara did not want to think that far ahead just yet.

Instead he directed his attention to the readying shinobi and accompanying clansmen. All had sleepy looks in their eyes at the early morning rise, going about their duties ensuring that nothing was left behind in Hideout.

Already the first company had left, led by Susumu and carrying a fraction of their food reserves. In less than an hour the old fortress would once again be deserted till the next winter came. Lifting his weapons onto the awaiting cart, his pack followed and Madara rolled his shoulders to loosen the tension that had built there at such an early waking.

Not even he liked the cold frosty mornings.

Giving the travelling company that he was leading a few moments to be completely ready before he loudly called them in and swiftly set off.

Stops would be minimal during the day, only after nightfall would they recce out a site for the nights camp, then once again be off early the next morning. Travelling was tough when they needed to arrive at the destination as discreetly and swiftly as possible.

The late nights and early morning, combined with stag duties that you had to be woken up for in the middle of the night, by the time you arrive it felt as if you needed a break. Madara remembered those days when he was still a young shinobi, he couldn't say he looked back fondly on them, but the reassuring fact was that he was no longer required to perform stag duties.

Which wasn't to say he got a full night's sleep. If anything he would sleep the least, needing to be alert and on response all through the night in case of any ambushes or complications occurred. If anything he somewhat longed for the days when the worst thing about his night would be that he only had two hours to try and sleep before he was woken for his turn on stag.

Being woken for stag was an awful experience, you where disorientated and you head muddled. You wouldn't quite understand what was going on as you'd only managed to actually sleep about half an hour before you where woken. Your gear would feel heavy as you struggled to pull it all on, and the walk to the stag point would be less than ninja. Once you were on stag things got a little better. Your eyes conditioned to the darkness, your body hummed in anticipation for anything that could happen and a good stag partner would make the hour end faster than you realised.

Growing up, Susumu had been a regular stag partner for him. His endless chatter had initially been irritating, but Madara gradually developed a tolerance for the man and now considered him a decent friend. Isshin had been another, although the two of them never completely saw eye to eye they managed not to kill each other on stag duty. Thinking of the multiple ways in which he could kill the prick and get away with it was probably what helped the time pass.

No doubt all the young shinobi that he could see travelling in his company would be enjoying those experiences this season.

He recognised a few faces that had been introduced to him not too long again, for them it would be their first campaign. He hoped that all of them would live to see the next winter, although he would not say it aloud in case his words cursed their fates. He knew as well as everyone that at the most, only a third would survive.

It was the third day into their travels and they were passing through a large valley. The surrounding towns and lands where sympathetic to the Uchiha clan and had proven themselves time and time again to be reliable allies, so their guard was down the tiniest of bits. That it had only taken them three days to reach the valley meant they were ahead of schedule and made plans to make a detour to a village that would provide them with additional weaponry.

This would save them time and resources when they needed a supply run.

As they passed through this valley, memories began to spring into his mind as the mountain range that had been obscured by a light morning fog was burnt off by the sunlight.

"Izuna." Madara called out to his brother, grabbing his attention from across the pathway they were travelling across. The younger sibling turned his attention to Madara and quickly finished talking to some clansmen whose name Madara could not exactly remember at that moment.

Making his way over to Madara, Izuna slowed down at the look on his brothers face. "What is it?" He asked a little cautiously. It had been some time since he had seen his brother had an excitement about him that wasn't related to a fight with a certain Senju. Izuna was hesitant to call it a happy excitement, more like a childlike form of it.

"Do you remember this place?"

Izuna blinked, before he glanced around them. He was certainly familiar with the location, this road had been taken a number of times when journeying eastwards from Hideout to the furthest reaches of their territories. The small dirt road had dried rice fields on either side, the horizon dotted with farm animals grazing. It was a picturesque location Izuna supposed, but the prominent feature of this road was the distance from any tree lines.

Ten miles down this road was a small town that specialised in weaponry. It was there that they would trade grain for weapons. Izuna could tell you the exact number of farms that lied between here and that town. He knew when the road curved, when the forest density increased. Izuna could blindly navigate his way down this road and still pick out all the key locations where an attack could be carried out from. As was his responsibility.

"I'm familiar with it," Izuna concluded.

Rolling his eyes, Madara shook his head while chuffing. "Not like that." He chided. He had a soft look on his face as he looked over at his brother. "Long time ago. We were here, at least somewhere not far from here I figure. I remember that mountain face, the one that looked like a someone squatting for a shit."

Izuna let out a bark of laughter. "Only you would ever see something so messed up on the side of a mountain."

"Seriously, if you look," Madara pointed up at the mountain he was talking about, his finger outlining the shape, "it does kinda look like it." Izuna didn't look, this time he was slowly shaking his head. Madara levelled his younger brother with an unimpressed look. "You could try humouring me."

"Yeah. I remember this place now," Izuna breathed out. Eyes casting downwards as the memories began to slip back to him. "We camped here, years ago. Our brothers and us. We'd..." the faintest hint of a smile could be seen on his face, "we disobeyed fathers instructions in favour of spending the day at those pools. It was so fucking hot that summer. I can remember my sweat rotten clothing chaffing most of my skin."

"Yeah, the heat rash hit you hard that year. You looked like a little hairless rodent, your skin was so red and lumpy. Not to mention we cut your hair off one night." Madara laughed loudly as he recalled the frustrated look that had scrunched up his little brothers face. Not too different to the face he had on at that moment.

"Enough of that," Izuna returned, dark eyes glaring at his brother.

"You remember the waterfall then? We were jumping off and swimming under it -"

At that Izuna shrugged, "Somewhat."

"What do you mean somewhat? That was the best day we'd ever had as kids."

"It was also two days before our uncle died. Then three weeks later, our oldest brother. I apologise if this area doesn't exactly encourage good memories," Izuna snapped back bitterly, the anger so sudden that Madara remained quiet for a good moment till he felt he could respond.

"Yes, there are bad memories of this place. But that waterfall was the last place the four of us were together. Where we had a day when nothing else but our fun mattered, where we could mess about without a care in the world. Don't you want to go see it again? For ol'times' sake."

Izuna was suddenly in his face, his mangekyo swirling unintentionally as he let anger and hatred overcome his ironclad controll. "There has never been a time in our life that we had the liberty to live 'without a care in the world', brother. We cannot live in the past, even for ol'times sakes."

"Okay." Madara resigned himself and now taking a calmer tone with Izuna, "I understand. Thought it would just be fun, before shit goes down."

"Would you listen to yourself. We don't get that freedom no more, we are not children."

"Honestly brother, I think that stick up your ass only got a little higher up there." Madara sighed outwards while Izuna looked away ignoring the jab.

"I will do my duty and ensure that our clan arrives at the location safely."

"Because our safety arriving to a battlefield will make so much difference when it comes to fighting the next day," while he generally couldn't give a fuck who overheard him, Madara did make a conscious attempt to not be too loud. Although not even that could stop the dripping sarcasm.

Izuna ignored him again. "I'm on point. If you want to go, then go. But I won't." He began making his way towards he rear platoon that had gotten ahead of them.

"It won't be the same without you," Madara called to his brother.

Izuna paused, not looking back at Madara as he responded. "It would never have been the same to begin with."

Madara waited till his brother had sped out of his earshot before he let loose a frustrated grumble before he too began to move to catch up with the rear. He moved passed the rear platoon and advanced through the travelling groups till he was somewhere in the middle.

He did not quite feel going to the front and being around Izuna at that moment, he figured he'd best let him cool off.

It didn't take too long before he heard all the commotion that, lo -and-behold, she was causing.

* * *

A sharp intake of breath. "Look." Inare gasped while pointing, the nearest shinobi suddenly went tense, his guard spiked at her gasp his attention followed her finger. "Piglets."

Needless to say the slight worry that the nearby shinobi might have had vanished instantly and a good portion of them levelled Inare with some seriously annoyed look. All of which she gracefully ignored as she bounded closer to one of the piglets.

The little thing on seeing her looked terrified as she then progressed to chase it for a good few minutes before catching it and holding it closely to her chest.

Inare'sgreatestweaknessinthisworldwascutelittleanimals,whichwaswhyshelovedthespring so much. All the baby duckling would be following their mums around in disastrous huddles, fauns would be grazing in the fields, and little piglets would be munching away and fattening up looking criminally adorable while they did so.

Squeezing the piglet a little tighter, Inare could just eat the little thing it was so cute!

That moment with the piglet clasped tightly in her arms, the freezing winter she had just experienced and the horrible conditions that she had to endure working every day, none of it mattered not more, not even the knowledge that it was likely to repeat itself all over again. Soon it would be too hot, and she would be begging for the winter, then it would be too cold and she would be drying for the summer. And endless cycle of her complaining about the weather, but none of that mattered at that moment! She wanted to keep the little piglet forever and feed it, and play with it. Inare had always thought that the perfect name for her first piglet was goi -

"Thief!" The word was shouted and Inare looked to see an old woman pointing at her with a pitchfork. In a moment of panic Inare outright dropped the piglet and held her hands up rapidly shouting back. "No I'm not!"

An old woman, old as time itself, was waddling her way over to Inare. A old and scuffed wooden walking stick aiding her as she worked her way over the uneven field. Despite being unquestionably the oldest person Inare had ever set eyes on, she moved with surprising swiftness that Inare would never have thought her capable of.

Before she knew it, the mud crusted tip of the walking stick was pointed straight at her face.

"I was just petting it!" Inare felt the rapid need to defend her action. She had not been thinking of keeping the pig, not one bit. No, no, no…

"Trying to kill the thing too! A murderer and a thief."

"That's a little excessive, don't you think? Murderer..."

"Shus brat! Who is in charge of you? I demand you are whipped for this."

"I'm in charge of me," Inare squeaked aloud, although she wasn't always certain about that, "I think you may be exaggerat-"

"Is everything alright here?" A smooth voice interrupted her and Inare looked up to see Madara looking down at the woman with a kind smile. Way too kind of a smile.

"Yes. She was trying to steal one of my pigs. It's unnatural, we have a tough living here and this little brat thinks she can just come along and steal from us."

"I can reassure you miss," he spoke smoothly and directed a disarmingly charming smile at the old wizened woman, "that my medic here would have no need to resort to thievery. She was clearly just having a moment, must have been the sun that got to her head."

Narrowed eyes glazed up at Madara. "I've never had problems with Uchiha clansmen, they are always so polite and gentlemanly. So I will believe you." Then looking at Inare with sharp eyes, she spoke harshly while pointing. "Just keep her away from my pigs."

Inare shrunk a little under the woman's gaze, whispering a muted apology. "I will endeavour to do so, Ma'am."

The elderly woman tittered at Madaras words, directing a gentle smile to him, before she then collected her piglet, that looked thoroughly relieved, before marching away.

Inare glanced up quickly at Madara muttering another apology directed at him, then made to turn away.

"Are you that bored?"

She froze at the question and looked back a little confused. "Bored?"

"Yes, bored," not looking exactly impressed that she was acting like a halfwit.

"Well, I'm not exactly being mentally stimulated by walking, if that's what you mean. It was just such a cute little thing. I only wanted to hold it for a bit."

"Okay," Madara responded, looking as if he was thinking but not sure himself.

"Okay?" Inare was even more unsure of herself at the moment. "Is that all? 'Cus I should probably be gett-"

"You ever seen a waterfall before?"

Inare did a double take, not really sure what to make of his question. Her mouth was agape a she thought that one through. It did seem like a trick question. "No?"

* * *

"Where are we going?" Inare grumbled out for what felt like the tenth time in the span of ten minutes.

"I told you."

"No..." Inare drew out as she thought again over what had brought them to this moment, "you didn't."

"I'm sure I did."

"And I'm telling you that you didn't."

"Ah. Well, you'll find out soon enough."

Now knowing that he probably wasn't going to say anything asides from that, Inare glanced back to the clan that was getting further and further away in the distance and quickly being covered by the tree lines. "This probably doesn't look too good for some people." Inare commented, looking backwards at the temporary camp they were leaving behind.

"Who cares about that shit," he dismissed, doing nothing to reassure her.

While she wanted to shrug it off and follow to satisfy this mild curiosity, Inare did kind of want to remind him that it was her this wasn't going to look good for. "Whatever you say," Inare responded with a false conviction.

"You'll enjoy it." Madara really did not sound like he was trying to reassure her at all.

Inare nodded mutely as she climbed carefully over a fallen tree while Madara just took one large step to get onto the tree and another to get off. Inare scorned his nimbleness. She barely managed to catch herself the three times she badly stumbled; yes, she was counting.

The trek carried on at a normal pace, and by normal she meant a non -chakra fuelled trek. So Inare was tiring out pretty quickly. It must have gone half an hour, and Inare was sweaty from traipsing through the stuffy forest. She had got smacked in the face by branched more times that she liked to admit to. Her dress was covered in dirt and pine needles had fallen down the back of her neckline irritating her.

Inare had also began building up her argument to Madara as to why she was going to turn around that moment and make her way back to the other Uchihas. The only thing keeping her going was that he had asked her about a waterfall, and at this moment she was in dire need of a wash.

Just when Inare was feeling her worst, ready to snap at the Uchiha clan head and demand he direct her straight back to the travelling party because she'd had enough of this expedition of his, Inare pushed through a thick part of foliage and her eyes could have fell out of her head from the sight that greeted her.

She much have been so deep in her internal bickering that she had not heard the road of the waterfall that was so powerful now. A thin mist rose from the base of the waterfall, the spray of the water almost sparkling in the light. The water was all tall as the tree line, if not taller, and the pool encircled by fresh green grass that was dotted with flowers.

The sun was shining directly down onto the clearest turquoise pools at the base of the waterfall, the light bounced off the water in bright glimmers. Trees and grass surrounded the pools, almost enclosing it off from the outside. It looked like something out of a fairy tale, catching Inare's breath for a long time as her eyes struggled to draw in every essential features that made this place so beautiful.

"This is incredible." Only managing a whisper, her gaze fixed on everything. It wasn't long before she looked up at Madara with wonder and excitement. "Can we go in?"

"That's what were here for."

A blinding smile broke out on her face as she rushed to begin undoing the straps of her dress till she was in nothing but the white inner layer of the dress and she began wading into the water slowly not wanting to disturb the natural scene. She gasped at the fresh coldness of the natural pools water, giving off a few shivers but looking thoroughly content to be slowly emerging herself in the waters.

While behind her Madara began unbuckling all the straps to the pouches and holders where his weapons lied, then shrugged off his tunic and the shirt he wore beneath before his shoes followed, till he was in nothing but his trousers. Quickly grabbing two kunai to strap to his thigh Madara took a number of steps away from the pool before charging head on and jumping right over Inare. He crashed down into the water causing a wave that drenched Inare completely.

Inare shrieked in alarms and struggled to sort herself out while Madara broke through the surface, dark hair stuck to his face.

"I was having a nice moment you know." Inare grumbled as she pushed her hair out of her face and waded a little further till she was deep enough to sink right down.

Madara ignored her and dipped back down and resurfaced so that his hair was off his face.

Supressing a number of shivers at the fresh temperature of the water, Inare crossed her arms over her body. It was still early spring, so that water was chilly. Beginning to diving under and swim around, Inare quickly found her body warming enough from the exertion to ignore the cool waters.

Madara did not seem to be bothered one bit by the cold, floating face up in the water and looking as if he was taking a nap even. It was a struggle to keep herself afloat in the fresh water, but Inare played around trying to do so. She found quickly that it took a great deal of breath holding to achieve it, and she suspectd that Madara was using a little chakra, so quickly gave up in favour of treading water.

When that became tiring, she swam her way over to the shallower end of the pool and planted her feet on the slimy rocks at the bottom of the pool. Cringing, Inare tried not to think too much of it and put her attention on taking in as much of their surrounding as possible.

"Is that a beehive?" Inare questioned, looking up to a tree perched somewhat precariously over the waterfall.

Madara was pulled out of his relaxed trance to glance over at the woman when she asked her question. He wasn't sure he had caught the whole of it. Slowly swimming over to her, he rose from the water to stand close, looking where she was pointing. "Looks like it." He responded with a glanced at her before looking back. "Why?"

"Honey's hard to come by," she muttered absentmindedly.

"You need it?" Not really wanting to, but if she did he might as well jump up there and get it for her. "Not particularly. I find it too sweet. But... there are other uses for it."

"You're talking about medical benefits I assume." Madara responded as he sunk back into the water, shifting to his back and gathering air to his lung so his body floated on the surface. He closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of the sunlight hitting his face. This truly was a wonderful place to relax.

Granted he would much rather have taken all his clothing off to enjoy the cool water the pools provided. When he and his brothers had last been here all four of them had been bare as the day they were born. He could not exactly do that with Inare. For a moment he regretted bringing her in favour of someone else, or just having gone off on his own.

"No," Inare breathed out, a slow smile growing on her face. "Nothing of the kind."

Madara opened an eyes to look at the woman still standing in the lake looking up with a new level of determination to that tree. He tried to not let his eyes wonder too long on the thin white under-dress that now stuck to her like a second skin, tantalisingly showing off the outline of her breast bindings or her nipples that had responded quite firmly to the cold water. It really left nothing the imagination, so he looked away. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to have brought her.

Driving his mind back to what she was saying, he did have to ponder at what it was she was going to use that honey for if she could get her hands on it. That thought itself must have passed her own head. "Do you think someone could climb up there?" She asked, looking up at the tree.

Madara opened both eyes this time, dark eyes scanning the rocks to find potential foot and hand holds for the climb. Chakra would make the climb all the easier, easier still just to jump up there. But he wanted to see how determined she was to actually climb up there. It would be hard, but not entirely impossible for her.

Words he was about to relay to her when she spoke up. "I'm doing it."

At that Madara shifted to his body upright in the water, feet touching the rocky bottom of the pool. "Right now?"

"No better time than the present. I can't imagine were staying here long, we have to catch up with the others after all." In all honesty Madara hadn't thought to much as to how long they would be staying. That Inare was the one having the foresight to think ahead did knock out a bit of the overly emotional nostalgia that had been plaguing him all day. "Besides, I have things that I do need to do."

Now that, Madara did not believe that one bit. Not if that devious grin that had replaced the serene smile she'd had not too long ago was anything to go by.

"Go for it," he encouraged, now interested to see what it was she had in mind.

"You sure?" It was a strange what a difference the water and sunlight beaming on them made. Her hair was slicked back off her face, the water darkening its burnt amber but doing nothing to mute the brightness that shone under the sun. Her face was only fractionally turned his direction and her unremarkable brown eyes glanced at him from their corners. She looked confident and strong willed in that moment. A woman that knew exactly what she wanted to do, and was going to get away with it. "Someone won't be happy by the end of it."

He grinned, because there was nothing that had interested him more in her than her confidence. To have that deviousness shine, he wasn't going to interfere one bit. "Like I said. Go for it." Directing a smirk in her direction.

She returned it, before directing her attention back at the tree and assessing her following actions. So deeply focused on following the potential trail up to the tree. She remained like that for a number of slow seconds before she turned fully to look back at him. It was only then that Madara realised he had been staring and for a fraction of a second struggled to meet her eyes.

Once again her brown eyes held a strong determination for this silly task she had set herself onto

"Yeah," she drew out with a flopped defeated grin, "I don't think I can do it. Do me a solid, and go get it for me would ya?"

Maybe he had been expecting too much from her.

Groaning aloud, Madara slowly rose to his feet in the water. "What, too hard for you?"

"Somewhat," she admitted quietly then directed a toothy grin to Madara, "but mostly I don't want to ruin my clothing."

Madara raised a brow at her response, not having thought she cared too much about such things. But, like him, she probably did not have a wide range of choices in clothing and wanted to preserve whatever she did own for as long as possible. "Fine, but you'll owe me one for this." He grumbled.

"Yah, yah." Inare sounded unimpressed while giving a dismissing wave. That alone should have annoyed him enough to stop right there and let her go get the damn thing herself, but he persevered as a better idea popped into his head.

Madara pulled himself out of the water using chakra. Now standing on the surface, he walked closer to the waterfall and looked up at the tree he was going to be aiming for. Knowing that this could go really badly, Madara shifted himself to the side of the tree which was the opposite end of the beehive entrance.

Pushing more chakra into his thighs, calves and heels he released it all combine with a jump that sent him high above the tree, as he passed the hive he pulled out one of the two kunai he had kept on him and slashed at the top of the kunai with enough strength to severe it completely from the tree.

It was on the fall that he grabbed hold of the top of the beehive making sure to keep the entrance as far away from him as possible.

In seconds, on feeling the downwards fall, the bees all swarmed out instantly. As gravity continued in pulling him down towards the deeper end of the waterfall, he turned his body to face the water and Inare. Drawing in a deep breath, he shouted her name before tossing the beehive directly at her. It flew in the air and she caught it perfectly, which she seemed very pleased about from the grin on her face. Which quickly morphed into horrified realisation as she ducked under the water. By which time Madara crashed through into the pool and swam towards the bottom where he grabbed hold of a rock to keep him grounded there.

Meanwhile an furious swarm of bees was circling around their floating hive probably wondering what had just happened. That is if bees thought that much.

Looking around through the clear water he could see a very annoyed Inare had spotted him and was somehow managing to aggressively swim over to him. Her cheeks puffed out in a laughable attempt at holding her breath.

On reaching him she too grabbed hold of a lake bottom rock to hold herself down. With her hair floating all over the place Madara could not really get a gauge of how annoyed she was.

Above them the swarm of bees continued to rage at the loss of their hive and continued to hover around the surface for a long time that Inare's face was beginning to turn an unattractive shade of purple. Taking her hand he swam out of the shadow left by the bee's and all the way to the other side of the pool where the surfaced with deep gasps for air.

From a much safer distance they gathered their breath and watched the beehive, before looking at each other briefly and laughing.

"That was completely mad." Inare burst out with, her laughter rough and nothing ladylike, it sounded genuine. It would seem that she had quickly forgotten her previous anger having seen more humour than he was in all that had just occurred.

"Won't be doing that again," Madara breathed out, looking down when he felt her hand tug itself out of his.

"Don't tell me you've been scared off already." She was racking her hands through her hair to get it out of the eyes. He did the same, only now noticing that it was annoying in the way.

"Let's just say, I should have been warned off getting involved in any of your schemes the first time." "You say that, but you're not going to forget this day easily, are you?"

Laughing quietly, Madara shook in head at how outrageous this girl was. "Probably not."

"That's what I like to hear." She was grinning to herself.

"After all that faf, this scheme of yours had better leave someone really pissed off."

"Of that you can guarantee."

"Good. Let's get out then. We should probably try to dry off before we head back."

"Sounds like a plan," she glanced up through the clearing, eyes squinting as direct sunlight hit her eyes, "its sunny enough that it shouldn't take too long."

The two of them began wading outwards towards the bank the long way so as to avoid the now dispelling swarm of bees. For a moment Inare did feel bad about depriving them of a home, but it was spring, warm enough that they wouldn't die in the cold.

"You know, there's a species of fish that can actually climb up waterfalls," Inare mentioned it completely out of the blue. As she stood there squeezing out the excess water from her hair and looking over at the powerful falls it just popped into her mind.

"That, I don't believe." He responded swiftly without even given her wild story a whirl in his mind.

"It's true." Her protest was at least satisfying, she sounded both irritated and a little doubtful. "I read it somewhere," she muttered as she looked away from him and at the waterfall, "a while back."

"I see." Picking up his shirt Madara roughly rubbed it to his face and over his hair to get the worst of the water off him. Then flopping down onto the ground he began squeezing out all the water he could from his pants. "You believe everything you read?"

Inare remained standing, and choosing to subtly ignore him, as she continued to watch the waterfall. "They use their mouths to sort off... stick themselves to the rocks, with a sort of suction force" he laughed while Inare darted a dark look over at him, "I haven't finished. Don't laugh just yet, even fish can be capable of great things." She crossed her arms and cocked a hip at him.

"It's a fish. I'm sure the daily accomplishment in a fish's life is catching its meal and not starving. A fish couldn't climb a waterfall."

"And why not? Why do you think a fish can't climb a waterfall?" "Because you're talking about fish. They have small brains."

"And small bodies, so a large brain would hardly be evolutionarily to their advantage. Besides, I don't believe that they're stupid creatures and even if they were, not everything is decided by intelligence."

"Keep thinking that."

"It's true."

"If you didn't have half a brain do you still think you'd be alive today."

"Maybe," huffing as she pulled the mass of her hair over to one shoulder and began getting all the water she could out from it.

"You just saying that now to spite me."

"That too."

Snorting at the sheepish look she was desperately trying not to let him see, Madara continued. "Look, forget that for now. You have to agree that survival is determined by intelligence and strength."

"Well, those could be considered aspects that contribute to survival. I think more importantly than either of them is robustness and versatility."

"Robustness and versatility then, hn?" Madara did not sound convinced, a fine brow raised. "You sure use some fancy words there."

"Too hard for you?"

"Try me and you'll find out."

"I will," she grinned in return, the grin challenging as she began. "Robustness, in a sense, is like strength but applied in a much broader terms. Whereas strength implies simply physical ability, robustness can mean strength is a more dynamic way. You're quick but also good at storing fats so you don't die, like sharks. To be versatile is to be like water. If an obstruction is encountered in its path it will simply make a new one. It will wear down the earth in the long term even if it does not appear to be so relevant in the present. Adaption to new environments that are beyond our control." She finished fiddling with her hair and progressed to her clothing.

Madara did not think too much of her words. She spoked well enough to sound convincing, but she was living in some fantasy if she thought that the sentient beings of this planet where satisfied with just adapting themselves. They were only human, which meant they changed the land to suit them, not the other way around.

Irrespective of whether he thought she was wrong or not, she had some interesting thoughts. She certainly was an interesting one, intelligent woman. Intelligent and well...if Madara thought that he had something to stare at before in the water, now with the two of them on land he could see that there was a lot more on offer. That silly little thin dress she wore under her outer layer, why did it have to be so thin?

Long legs on show as she began bunching the material together at the waist as she squeezed out the excess water, leaving the wet transparent material crumpled around her waist showing off the curve of her rear. It pulled from the rest of the length, leaving the normally knee length dress flashing a good proportion of her upper thighs.

Her exposed legs showed the long scar that ran up one leg, painfully visible to his eye. Without thinking he stared for longer than he should have which drew her attention as she pulled up the material over her knees as much as she could.

"Sorry," he muttered while looking away.

"Not your fault," she whispered out in return, "I'm not really used to anyone seeing it. Hisoka and Ebisu might be the only ones that know it's that bad."

"It's only a scar Inare."

"I know." She said that, but he could not identify any confidence or acknowledgement of that fact. Slowly, she sat down next to him.

"If it's any consolation, your scar is only a beauty spot compared to some of mine." She let out a small huff of laughter that sounded forced to him.

It was unusual to see her appear disheartened by something, especially something so trivial. Inare tended to hold herself with such composure that for her to be dampened by something as superficial as a scar did not settle well with him. "I find that," why he was even trying to make her feel better about this was beyond him, "a truly strong woman will accept the pains and sufferings she went through-" In this strange moment she truly reminded him of the woman he admired the most of all, "-to become ennobled by her scars."

A long finger slowly pulled down the skirt of her inner dress from over her knees to run along the thick scar. Inare swallowed thickly as his words and actions penetrated her very core, eyes fixed on that one finger as it gently drifted all the way down towards her hip. Her legs quivered for a second before unconsciously relaxing.

Inare blamed the sun on her face for the heat that flared at her cheeks, neck and chest, but she really did not want to openly think about the flash of heat that pooled elsewhere.

At which point her mind rapidly caught up.

"You've been here before," Inare directed the conversation quickly away, having become suddenly uncomfortable with the level of intimacy her knees snapped shut, "haven't you?"

That one finger that she still couldn't look away from slowly slipped away from her thigh and Inare tried to pull the dress back over her knees without seeming too alarmed.

"Once before. With my brothers," his curt answer left much unsaid.

Inare did not miss that he has multiple brothers, or rather he once had. "Is that why you wanted to come back?" It took more courage than she could quantify to meet his eyes as she asked that question. Her face felt like it might be on fire, but with the bright sun beaming down on the two of them Inare hoped it would not be that obvious.

"Maybe." The two of them held a long gaze before Madara responded and Inare was the first to look away. She turned her attention to something much more simpler in her mind. Eyes drifting over the lake and waterfalls. If she had the liberty and freedom to do, she would return to experience again the serenity this place provided.

It reminded her of her old home with Kirno in Lightning. A damp little house always shaded by the tall mountains that the house was built into. It never had any sunlight shining onto it, Inare remembered all this with great clarity as it lead to frigidly cold winters.

But the lake, a salty and huge expanse of a lake that seem to go right to the end of the world, sat no more than ten meters from her house had been the delight of her childhood. It wasn't a lake you could swim in, you just floated on it. You would never think of going in if you had a cut or a rash. The stinging pain from the salt could bring tears to even the toughest bunch. Much like this place Madara had brought her, that lake had left lasting memories for her. Despite the shade, the wind and the biting air it somehow always seemed warm in her memories, which she couldn't imagine ever being true.

"Is it just like you remembered it?" The question slipped out of her mouth as she wondered what it would be like if she ever returned, exactly as warm as she seemed to recall it?

Madara did not respond straight away. Was it same?

If he thought back on it the sun felt hotter then than it did now. No longer did he feel the rays penetrating right to his bones like a warm embrace. He remembered the water being crisper, reflecting much more light off. He swore that waterfall was higher, wider and that the water tumbled off it with much more ferocity. He did not remember it so quietly. His brothers and him had created a right racket. Shouting and screaming as they messed around, trying to drown each other and pushing the other off the fall.

Now he couldn't even bring himself to want to climb to the top of the falls and dive in. He took a long moment to take in the scenery before he looked back at her, it was some time again before long moment to take in the scenery before he looked back at her, it was some time again before Inare turned to meet him.

"No. Nothing like I remember."

* * *

It was over an hour before they were both dry enough to get up and begin making their way back towards the convoy. After having been gone for likely a solid three hours they would have a lot of catching up to do, but that would not take long given the slow pace that they had been travelling at.

Madara had walked over the water to get the now abandoned bee hive that had been bobbing up and down in the water.

Handing it over to her, Inare carried it on their walk back. Madara set a somewhat brutal pace that she struggled to keep up with but they were out of the forest and heading back down the dirt road a lot faster than she anticipated.

"That was a nice detour," at some point she felt the need to tell him, "no one's ever taken me on a trip to a waterfall before." Madara had gone relatively quiet. At least compared to before when he was much more willing to talk with her.

It struck her as very unusual that he had chosen her company over others, but now even stranger that he'd shift from such a light-hearted chatter to this. Inare knew she'd pried a little too much, she wouldn't have even minded if he'd not answered, but his response resonated sadly with her.

Inare supposed that remembering things from the past was not necessarily remembering them as they were. She could not see in any harm with looking back too beautifully on the passed even imaginatively, it was harmless.

The harm came when you tried to relive those moment again.

This was something that she couldn't hold against him. Nor could she help him.

The trekked back over similar terrain to the one that had brought them to the waterfall. Inare felt much cooler this time, although she did find discomfort in the dampness of her clothing. Before long they broke through the forest and merged onto the footpath they had veered off in search of their little adventure.

Behind them the sun was beginning to set, lighting up the path in brilliant hues of gold, red and orange. Inare entertained herself with making shadows with her hands and watching them dance around the path before them.

Occasionally she'd glance up at the tall mountains that began to grow around them the father down this path they travelled. Rocky and bare of much plant life, they were a brief reminded of the mountains she frequently scaled back in her old homelands.

Just as the mountains where beginning to cast a shadow over them Inare caught sight of their travelling party.

"So what's this plan of yours?" He eventually broke the frigid silence that Inare could not bring to do herself. Inare glanced up and hid her surprise with more tact that she knew herself possible of.

"Don't want to ruin the surprise," she smiled coyly over her shoulder at Madara.

"I think I have vague idea what you have in mind," she chuckled in response, "well I'll leave you to it then."

"You don't want to come see?"

"I think that would raise a few suspicions."

"Ah," Inare hadn't thought that far, "possibly." Either way, it made no difference to her plan. It was perfect.

"Let me just say thought, you're going to regret this."

"What do you mean?" Inare looked up questioningly, she had to shield the sun out of her eyes that blared in her direction. Madara chucked secretly and Inare looked on irritated. "I've thought this out." She defended.

"Sure you have."

Rolling her eyes, Inare decided she didn't care. She hardly needed his help for it. It was a simple trick that would take seconds to set up but a lifetime to forget. Both her and Madara went their separate ways as they entered the camp with a polite goodbye.

At which point she wondered around till she found her belongings and grabbed her bag and headed to where the other medics where. Leaving her stuff there Inare ignored the bowl of food offered to her and went in search of Isshin's team.

She found them all napping after a couple minutes of wondering at the far edge of the camp. Perfect.

It took her less than five minutes to set up her contingency plan if the first one failed. Isshin woke up to give her a questioning look as she did so, but the girl just grinned and put a finger to her mouth. At that he rolled his eyes and lied back down while keeping his attention of her as she fussed about doing whatever stupidly she was up to.

Ten minutes later and she was ready.

Cautiously trending her way over to him, Inare took great care in not waking the man. He slept through her creeping around, the man must have been dead from today's travels. Not that it was one of the more intensive days, which must have meant that Isshin's team had probably been on multiple patrols again.

That gave her a second of pause in thinking that maybe this wasn't such a great idea. Cruel even.

Then it was instantly put aside thinking on how incredibly satisfying it was going to be.

With what was left of her honey, Inare silently cracked open a new opening, crouched down and began to pour it directly over her victims face and head. Taking particular effort to pour a little in his ears too, just for the extra torture.

It did not take long for him to waken, jumping to his feet as he looked around and began feeling around his head.

It did take a good few seconds for him to gather his bearings, realise what that sticky substance coating his head and hair was and find the culprit. The later was a lot easier given that Inare was the only person with a shit-eating-grin, which gave her away more than the residue honey on her fingers or the fragments of beehive around her.

"What the hell was that for?" Daichi howled at her, the intensity of his anger went straight over her head as she crippled over in laughter. Besides her she could hear Toke trying and failing to restrain his snickers.

"I swear Inare, if you don't stop laughing right now and give me a fucking explanation, I'm don't care that you're a medic, I'll be dumping your corpse in the next river we pass!"

That just made her laugh harder instead. "You know... exactly... what for." Inare managed between gasps of laughter.

Daichi was holding back his floppy hair with one hand while trying to stop the honey from dripping into his eyes. "No, I don't!"

Inare managed to contain her laughter enough that she could speak without gasping for breaths. "Snitches get stitches was it? I think you got off pretty lightly all things considered."

At that Daichi stopped trying to contain the spread of the honey, and turned his full focus on her. Dark eyes blazing.

"Oi, where you hear that from! I'm an honourable man I'll have you know."

"Straight from the horse's mouth, I'll have you know." A slow grin worked its way up on her mouth

"Why you talking about that stuff with Madara?"

"It came up in a conversation," she dismissed, smiling over at the honey that continued to drip down onto Daichi's shoulder.

With a loud huff, Daichi began trying to wipe the honey off his shoulder with a resigned look on his face. "Damn. Can't trust anyone around here." He muttered darkly before he began stalking off towards his bag and rooting around for his cater canister.

He'd need a lot more than just the water in his canister the clean up all the honey stuck in his hair and no doubt working its way down the back of his clothing.

All the while Daichi was bitterly muttering to himself as he roughly pulled off the canister top and emptied the contents over his head.

Diluted honey trickled out instead of the water he was expecting. A good amount before Daichi realised that something was wrong and threw the canister to the ground then began howling in anger once again. Nearby, Toke had given up on pretending and was currently on the floor curled up as the boyish laughter took a tighter hold over him.

Inare herself had her head tipped back as the laughter continued to bubble out. Isshin looked red in the face as he held his breath in uncertainty of how Daichi would respond. Jian was looking a little startled and then incredibly worried as he peaked a glance over at Inare wondering if he would be next for some trick.

Daichi was still stomping around cursing before he turned to glare at Inare. He muttered something under his breath that had Inare paying attention, it then took her a second too long to realise that he was charging at her. Inare yelped, then screamed as she began making her escape but not fast enough as Daichi grabbed her tightly and began rubbing honey into her own hair.

As much as she tried there was no way that she could have gotten out of his grasp and eventually just gave up with a cringe as she felt the sticky warm honey began to coat her scalp and trickle down her neck.

"I hate you Daichi!" She'd scream every now and then while he laughed manically. Eventually Isshin had to pull him off her and Inare felt like sobbing at how awful her revenge had turned out.

An hour later saw both Daichi and Inare painfully washing out the honey from their hair with the small amount of water that Isshin and Toke had offered them from their own canteens. It was a painful job and with Inare's long hair she was sobbing by the end of it.

Daichi ended up helping her tremendously, giving up most of his water so she could get it out of her locks. That just made her sob more, and the two of them somehow manged to laugh it off later on. That night was awful, she couldn't sleep as the sickly sweet smell permeated her clothes and hair while making all her skin feel icky.

Inare wisely decided that day that revenge really was not worth the trouble. At least not for her as it just ended up blowing up in her own face. Force to wake up early the next morning, Inare managed to get her hands on more water and washed her hair again, this time with Hisoka's help who was less than impressed with her.

As Inare filled in with the rest of the Uchiha's into her travel group, she could feel herself grinning like some idiot. Sure she still felt sticky and probably would do till she could find a proper place to bathe, but for the first time in what seemed like years, she was making memories that where making her smile like there was nothing in this world to worry about.

For those few days at least, there really was nothing to worry about.

* * *

 **So I do kinda wanna portray Madara as hardened but with optimistic undertones that he struggled to acknowledge or act upon. So in a way, Inare does unconsciously bring that out of him, or at least's makes them more obvious, all the while not necessarily changing his views.**

 **But as the following chapters will reveal, it can take just a couple of bad days to change it all….**


	16. Interlude

**Sorry for the delay. Lot of hard stuff happened in the second half of 2016, it just drained me of a all energy to work on anything that wasn't immediate in my life and then I moved to a new city to start graduate school… man. Its not been easy or good.**

 **I debated with myself wether or not I should put out the current version of the next chapter… and in the end decided NO. Reason being that im really no happy with it… I might even put in an additional chapter before hand to ease into it… a lots gonna happen the coming chapters and I want it to feel overwhelming.**

 **But since I have been out of the loop for so long, I figured I would do one interlude chapter as a breather. This is not developmental to the plot, its mostly filler, but I had some scrap little 'memories' that I wanted to include in the story but couldn't decide where.**

 **It is two mini-clips about our main characters (and someone who we'll be seeing more of soon), something to give a little insight to how I figure their lives would have been in their youths.**

 **I did want to ask if any had anything from the first half that you particularly enjoyed, fights, funnies or whatever? What did you dislike? What about things you thought there was too little of... Throw ideas at me… give me feedback! I'm always in need of inspiration. I have the general plot mapped out, just fitting things together and adding additional stuff is what's needed right now.**

* * *

The icy mud had long seeped through the thin material of her dress, bare feet were also victim to the vicious cold of the mud and air. Her body was racked with shivers that came and went with alarmingly short intervals.

Yet a small sad smile perpetuated her face her dirty face as if she was meant to be grateful for this punishment.

Orphanages in the Lighting Field were not keen on harming their wards in manners that would leave bruises or scarring, preferring much more discreet and longer lasting harm. The body can mend itself and the forget the pain easily, but the mind is slower to recover from the trauma inflicted.

Kirno had never favoured such treatment of children. Not really seeing the point in such punishment, if you wanted a child to learn, you showed they why they were wrong. Not cause them emotional and physical harm to then leave accepting their wrongdoing.

Granted, she didn't hold much care for the little things. She had always put down her severe lack of maternal desires and instincts to her more masculine body. Strong arms, lean muscles and pretty empty in the chest department. All the hormones that went to crate her body must have decided that femininity was not something she needed.

So for that, she walked away the first time she saw that child in such a sorry state.

It wasn't often that she had to come to the orphanage, only when a child was severely sick would they send word for a healer. Her fourth time wasn't even that case, but the head matron had fallen ill.

Kirno really didn't know what was wrong with the woman, but was not going to pass up on the money and food they offered in exchange for her services. The head matron would be dead in a couple of weeks, so she figured she could at least keep her going till then, aiming to maximise her profits.

Think of her what you will, but Kirno was a survivor and in these warring times, you were either a survivor or you were already dead.

With her regular visit, Kirno quickly noticed the frequency at which that same girl would always find herself at the end of some form of punishment.

Kirno really had to applaud the creativity of it too. Once she witnessed the girl tied to the branch of a tree by her feet with half her head plunged in a bucket of water with only her mouth out of the water. Another time she was covered with likely something sweet and left outside for ants and bugs to crawl over her. Something like that was worthy of torture for a sworn enemy.

It always left Kirno curious as to what cheek that girl had been up to.

Naturally, she never found out. It was not her place to question the punishments of the orphanages stern and unforgiving guardians. She was only there to ensure the comfort of the dying matron.

Yet still the nagging questions would always pop into her mind with each daily visit during the matrons treatment.

Nearly every day that girl would be out there. And nearly every day she would have a smile on her face. With the exception of one day when she had been left in a crate. That was the first day Kirno heard her scream for her punishment to end.

The matron at this point was beyond help. Kirno put it down to age and a terrible smoking habit, but the woman had less than one week. Knowing that her services were pretty much over at this point, she let curiosity, not profit, direct her attention and Kirno approached the wooden crate the girl was locked in.

The crate was almost bouncing off the ground with the intensity at which she was trying to get out. Crouching down next to it, she didn't say anything at first, but looked around at the three curious onlookers who were watching from a distance. One of them was a younger matrons at the orphanage, a sneer was clear on her face. The other two were children, and both looked uncertain at how to react but were innately curious as to what she was going to do.

"You know," Kirno began, her voice not what she could call gentle or soothing but it appeared to have an instant effect on the child as the box stopped dead. "Screaming like that will only keep you in there longer."

Kirno could hear a ringing sound from the pitch that childs screams had reached. With a cringe she rubbed herears.

"Whose there?" She panted, her little wheeze of breath sounded painful, her voice was barely a rasp. "Who are you?"

Ignoring her feeble questions, Kirno finally spoke what she wanted to. "You're better off just keeping quiet. There's less satisfaction in tormenting someone who doesn't respond."

"But the matrons aren't tormenting me."

"You think?" Kirno wanted to laugh at the naïve little brat. Her stupidity would be too laughable if that was what she really thought.

"Yes. I do think so."

Kirno raised a brow at her firm response. Looking back at the onlookers she noticed that the matron had vanished, which likely meant she was getting someone with more guts to come out and 'shoo' her away. Turning around she sat on the ground and leaned against the crate. With her attention now focused on the child, she could hear the heavy breathing coming from inside.

"Are you still there?" She asked.

"I'm here," Kirno responded, the childs feebly weak tone was irritating, but Kirno was not entirelywithout a heart. "For the last few weeks I've come around here almost every day, and nearly each time you are out here enduring some kind of punishment or another. Of all, this seems the nicest. Yet it's the first time you have responded with something other than a stupid smile."

Kirno had not meant to talk with the girl at all, but still that nagging feeling that had rose in her since she first saw this child kneeling in the mud kept her there. It wouldn't be long that she would stay, soon one of the matrons would come out to chastise her for interrupting one of their wards punishment.

Kirno personally felt that the child had suffered enough, but then again she knew nothing or raising a child.

The response from the girl was muffled, as if she had her mouth pressed against into her clothing. "I don't like the dark."

Kirno scoffed. "There's nothing in that crate that can get to you."

"I know that!" The stubbornness in her tone was amusing as she tried to bite back. "I just... I..." Obviously lost for the right words, she went quiet again.

"A bit of advice for you. If you don't want to keep ending up out here being punished, then you're better off just not doing whatever it is that keeps getting you punished. You must be really stupid if you haven't learned that already."

"But I don't do anything wrong!"

"Obviously you are. Learn what it is that you are doing and stop." "I can't!"

Frowning now, Kirno's patient with the kid was lost, leaning forward she was making a move to leave. "You're doing something wrong," she muttered know beginning to understand that with this child it may be a hopeless case. Kirno was beginning to regret ever approaching now.

"The matrons just don't like it whenever my hands go blue."

Her back stiffened. As her head snapped towards the crate and for the first time in years she activated her family given gift. Instantly she saw it. There in the crate she could see the faint blue outlines of the girls brimming full chakra centre.

It was at that moment that Kirno realised what had been subconsciously bothering her about that girl. It was weak which is why she had never realised it, but the girl was chakra active. "Every time they see it, they punish me for it... but I can't stop it... it happens when I get nervous!"

Talking about them, Kirno now remember that one of the matrons would be on her way here. Deactivating her dojutsu, she had to clap her eyes shut from the unfamiliar feeling. It had been too long, but maybe not long enough. Opening them again she saw that a matron was now stomping her way over to them now, her arms flaying around like a wild woman. If Kirno had bothered to listen she could have also heard the woman wailing a little.

Wanting nothing more than to leave now, Kirno was suddenly struck with the knowledge of what life this girl would lead as soon as someone else discovered what she was experiencing. The matrons were likely ignorant of the girls potential and would only continue to punish her for it. Yet one day, a shinobi could come along and notice it. As she aged, her chakra stores would grow with her to the point when it would be noticeable.

She wouldn't even be drafted. In these lands, she'd be bought.

Trained to a suitable level, nothing beyond sub-standard. Then she would be pushed into a warring world that she had no part in. With the limited training forced upon her she would be dead within weeks, if not days.

The matron was near now. She only had seconds before she arrived. Kirno was not one to look for conflict, especially with a local, simply for the reason that it brought too much attention and endangered her income.

"Can you do it again?" She asked, the iciness in her tone reflecting her current change of mood. "I don't know." She girl mumbled.

"Do it for me now, and I might let you out."

"I shouldn't! If matron Otome saw me, she would give me the whip for showing it to a stranger."

Kirno wanted to bang her head against this crate. At least the orphanage had the right attitude to keep it a secret. "If you show it to me, I'll take you away from here." Silence greeted her. Kirno really couldn't gathered what had made say that, she had no plans of keeping her word but she could understand even less what made the girl go so silent. She wasn't responding and it was irking Kirno.

If she was to think back on that day, Kirno really couldn't say at what point she made her mind up about that little brat.

Was it the moment that the matron howled at her to get away from that crate and child? The moment where she flicked open the latch on the crate?

How about that moment when that little auburn haired child leapt clean out of her prison and right into her, arms wrapping themselves tightly around her neck and legs clinging to her waist?

Mostly, Kirno really did not like thinking about that day. It always brought on too many headaches.

* * *

Being the middle sibling was likely the best situation there was. You neither had to be the wonder child of the family, as the eldest would, nor must you have to rise above the standards like the youngest tended to.

In the middle, things where certain for you.

He had older siblings to look up to, and younger ones to protect. The balance was not unique to him alone, but no less precious.

That was how Madara enjoyed the first six years of his life.

His two older brothers where what he aspired to be like. Tall, strong, commanding with a gentle touch towards him and Izuna. For Madara, it was a privilege to witness his eldest brother, a well-respected Uchiha who had activated his Sharingan at the tender age of nine - the youngest in clan history -, look at him with such kindness that none other would witness. Not even their father.

His second to oldest brother was a serious one. Narrowed eyes, with his black hair pulled tightly off his face it gave him a permanently severe look as the skin was almost stretched taught to show his prominent cheekbones and sharp features.

His oldest would always lean into Madara's ears and whisper that their brother wasn't serious, just constipated.

To Madara, the knowledge that his fearsome brother was not serious, but having problem with passing his food, was the best thing he could ever have been told. He would roar with boyish laughter, to which their brother would lose his collected face and begin threatening Madara. A chase around the encampment would ensure in a desperate attempt to cut out Madara's tongue.

His oldest brother was never much use at these times, choosing to remain with Izuna laughing while the youngest of the four would stand by uncertain of how to respond.

The second oldest brother was usually in charge of the safe keeping of his younger siblings. Whether that included ensuring they trained, ate and bathed, he was always there. His eyes where usually a source of discomfort to Madara.

His narrowed eyes with his permanently activated sharingan would be fixated on his back the entire time. In all fairness it was not without reason. Madara did tend to be the sibling that would purposely blunt his kunai's behind his back, filled his shoes with mud and all the other tricks that siblings would play on each other.

Although, that his eyes would be on his constantly, even as he peed, was a source of dramatic discomfort.

Madara would not forget how strange it was to see his oldest brother in armour. It was their fathers old armour, and was naturally too big on the fourteen year olds developing body. It would rattle as he moved, so he would have to resort to binding it tightly to his body, giving him the stealth that was required of a shinobi.

When his body was carried back into the camp by their father, his armour bloodied and rattling, Madara could only assume the result of his death was for one reason.

For some time afterwards, Madara blamed his oldest brother's death on his armour. That it rattled too much when he moved, giving away his position and ultimately leading to his death. He refused to even look at the armour, much less stand by when his father handed it to his now older brother.

For the first time he could remember, he begged. Begged his brother not to take the armour, to be rid of it. Save himself from the same fate of their kind and gentle older brother.

Madara would not really know how to respond when his last older brother was brought back, armour-less.

His youngest brother had been the most precious thing that Madara could remember ever witnessing. He'd been too juvenile to truly appreciate him when he was younger. Yet even at the tender age of six, he could recognise how fragile and needy the little infant was. Only a year old, he was walking around on pudgy unstable feet and managing a mosaic of words that somehow made sentences. Already with an alert and keen look in his eyes.

Madara had known instantly that his youngest brother would be a shinobi to be reckoned with one day.

So you could understand the pain he felt when a sand shinobi snuck into his room on a dark and moonless night. Murdering his infant brother in his crib.

The late night cries that had once annoyed Madara when he was trying to sleep in the adjacent room to his infant brother, would never again bother him. Instead, each night he would be greeted by an empty silence that filled none of what had been robbed from him.

From those moments onwards, just looking up to the memory of his oldest brother was no longer enough. Now he needed to reach him. Surpass him. Become him if need be.

Naturally as he trained and grew older into his own person, it did not come to that. Madara had a personality too alike to his mother. Headstrong, determined but fiercely independent and driven. He set goals, silly goals to begin with. He was going to be able to run twice around the encampment faster than the armourer could finish sharpening up one kunai.

It took a number of attempts, but he made it and he upped the challenge to three times around the camp.

Another one was he was going to be able to throw a stone across the river. But well... that would later lead on to a story of its own.

* * *

Damn... I think I did intent for this to be uplifting... but really went the wrong way. I am way too into this angst thing...

For confirmation ages of the Uchiha brothers, didn't want to give them names cus that I thought would lessen the impact but at the same time it was difficult to make it flow, hope that didn't make it confusing. Oldest - 14yrs ; 2nd - 11yrs ; Madara - 6yrs ; Izuna - 3yrs ; 5th - 1yr (made the ages up, but that's how old they were in my head.)

* * *

here's a light little funny for you all!

it's **completely unrelated to the whole story** (AU) and semi-based on a story I heard from a comedian.

* * *

The citizens of Konoha where extreme fortunate to have free healthcare if they showed up at any of the villages hospitals. It was a liberty that not everyone had access to, and people would travel far and wide through the land of fire in order to take advantage of this free service.

As one could imagine, this did tend to lead to the service being very crowded and sometimes taken for granted.

Changes needed to be made in response to this and one of the many implicated changes was the introduction of a call line for injuries and health problems that weren't life threatening.

The only problem with it was that the director of health for Konoha wanted to ensure that everyone had access to a medic or doctors over the call lines. Inare was one of those many included.

One of the greatest advantages of this system was that as long as Inare stayed up all night and took the allotted number of calls that came her way, then she could do all she wanted. This tended to mean a binge watching session of television that she missed out on over during her long hours at work in the week.

The option was that she could swap out a days of the week at the hospital in order to work from home, or in the office or lab if she so please, to take calls and provide advice.

Inare gave up her Saturday night hospital shift from 9 pm till 4 am to work from home. After five years working at Konoha Hospital as a medic, she'd dealt with enough drunken accidents and stupidity to have had enough of the Saturday shift.

So, pot of coffee pilled to the brim, dinner sitting on her lap, she began.

Just about getting through the intro before the first call came. Yeah, the job wasn't perfect.

Pulling the official guide into her lap, Inare opened up to the flow chart that would direct her through the call.

"Non-life threatening emergency help line, thi-"

"Yo Inare, that you?" The voice on the other side interrupted her and Inare frowned in irritation. She was supposed to finish all the appropriate sentences given that all the calls were recorded for security and training purposes.

"This is Inare speaking. How can I-"

"Yeah, yeah. I know it's you. It's Madara."

 **"How can I help you?"** Inare gritted out, getting increasingly annoyed with the man on the other end.

"I know already. What is you-"

"It's policy! What's _your_ damn problem?"

"With the whole policy or in-"

"Injury you idiot!"

"Pretty sure that's not policy."

"Madara," the warning in her tone clear that the man laughed it off lightly, which only served to irritate her futher.

"Right," she swore that she could hear him grinning that shit-eating grin that irritated her so much, "so the guys started drinking a little early before I came back from-"

"I don't need a backstory Madara. What's the problem?" Inare snapped.

"Wow, you sound tense. You should come over-"

"Had that fact that I'm working escaped you?"

"No, but you're working from home. Just forward the calls to my place and work from here while having fun."

"What is your _non-emergency medical_ problem, _sir?_ "

"Well Miss Medic. My friend may have had a little too much to drink and cut himself on some glass."

Inare flipped to the page for bleeding wounds, to arrive at another flow chart. She probably should have at least read through all of these prior to her first night. Without thinking, she read out the first question. "How is the blood?"

"How is the blood?" The pregnant pause probably should have cued her into the stupidity of the question, but Madara clearly wasn't going to let her take that back. "You kidding me Inare? What the hell does anyone respond to that?"

"Just answer the question."

"Red! Like blood! Red and warm, kinda like yo-"

"Is there a lot of blood?" Inare near yelled down the line, teeth gritted on hearing that irritating tone whenever he was about to be lurid. Didn't she just say these calls were recorded for monitoring?

"Yea, there is," was all he said and Inare could have sighed in relief that he wasn't edging to end that sentence.

Looking down, Inare cringed at the next sentence. Who the hell wrote this? She'd been sceptical at the start but this was turning out to be awful.

"Is there enough blood... to fill a mug?"

Silence greeted her on the other side, before a long breath was release. " _You know_ I don't mean to _brag_ , but, I got a lot mugs of different sizes in my house. So what size of mug are we looking to fill here? That one with the pigs on it that you use all the time? What about the mug that you put the toothbrushes in? Are we looking at that size?" He was sounding increasingly irritated with her and Inare could not blame him.

Inare really wanted to reassure him that these weren't actually her question, but he hadn't finished yet. "And then to second all that, do you want me to decant the blood from the glass and chip crumbs and put it in that damn mug to confirm for you? Then do I keep it in hopes that I can pour it back into Susumus' arm at a later date?"

Ah, so it was Susumu who was pissed. Inare hadn't expected that from him. It wasn't even nine twenty, they'd started really.

Inare honestly had no answers to any of Madara's questions. Nor had she actually received an answer to her question, so she went with a yes and followed the flowchart down to the next one. Trying not to cringe, Inare asked, "Is the blood flowing or oozing?"

"I don't fucking know the difference between the two!"

He was really getting irate now, and Inare, not wanting to sound like a complete idiot responded with, "well there is a difference." Speaking like she had all the knowledge in the world about fluid dynamics.

"I'm not getting into a semantic debate with you while blood is gushing out of Susumu's hand."

"Gushing then! Thank you very much sir. That was all I needed." She lied, she'd given up on the flow chart, threw it to the corner.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, kinda."

"Don't need any more arbitrary measurements of blood?"

"No," she wheezed out, feeling like a complete idiot and he knew it, "that will do."

A long sigh emitted from the phone line, he was as exhausted as her. "So now what?"

"Bring him here," she gave in, "I'll fix it."

"Fuck sake. This is the blind fucking leading the blind here."

"Just bring him here."

"Right. We're bringing the party your side."

"No! Don't do that!"

Needless to say, the next weekend Inare returned to taking the Saturday shifts.


	17. Chapter 16: Part A

**Thank you for all the lovely reviews. It's great to have so much feedback and support, it makes me so happy to read them all not to mention massively motivating. Sorry for so few updates, doing a doctoral degree, relationships and having a life is a huge commitment and I cant always devote the time for this.**

 **But don't worry, I want to see the completion of this story, its on my mind a lot and I haven't lost focus on its direction or ending. Ill just be slow getting there… so if you can bear with me till then.**

 ** _Quick note on the chapter:_ I really debated just scrapping this entire little arc that I had planned, since it was this massive roadblock to get over and back into the main plot. But I had written so much of it before I began to doubt it and stopped enjoying writing this little arc. So if it feels a little rushed and choppy its because I basically crammed it. But I just wanted to publish something and just the ball rolling and hope that would push me to finish this arc. It should be published in 2-3 parts. Ill see. Maybe publishing bits of it might make it feel less like a monumental chore.**

 **Enough** **blabbering**

 **Here's you overdue chapter.**

* * *

 _Chapter 16: Part A_

* * *

A foot jabbed into her back probably some time before sunrise to quite rudely awaken her.

The sudden intrusion on her body didn't bother her so much, as it tended to be the means by which anyone in the tent woke the other up, but was not pleasant.

"Oi, medic! Get up."

Inare opened her eyes with a struggle.

Severe struggle as they dropped down until the foot repeated the same proven method of waking a sleeping mass. Pushing herself up into a sitting position with a flinch, Inare let her hair provide a fraction of shade from the lamp that was suddenly lit inside the tent.

Scrunching her eyes closed, Inare groaned feeling as if she had only a handful of hours of rest.

After a number of delays, struggled with cargo and a horrible storm, they had only successfully set up camp sometime in the wee hours of the morning. Her hair was still wet and her body felt clammy. Inare knew she'd slept nowhere near enough to offset the forty hours she'd been awake. A small relief came moments later when whoever had lit the lamp left the tent and Inare was relieved to be able to open her eyes.

"What's happened?" Inare groggily managed to get out to anyone remaining in the tent. It didn't look as if they were packing up. Just organizing while some of the women were getting their armour on. "An attack?"

A year ago now and the prospect of an attack would have actually frightened her. But, somehow, it just irritated her mostly. A beginning of a headache was forming and she knew that water and food would be needed soon to douse the pain.

"Nope. We got a mine. Perimeter was set up and guard rotations and routines are now in motion."

It was someone else that responded. Inare recognised her voice, but in the darkness of the tent it was pretty hard to make out who exactly she was. Names were never her forte.

She wished that someone would light another lamp or something. Something Inare was permanently reluctant to do, given that last time she did she was berated heavily for endangering everyone. Inare had found it a little melodramatic, but refrained from doing so again in the future favouring instead stumbling around in a dark tent.

'We got a mine'?

What was that supposed to mean?

She supposed she should take it on face value. Of which Inare would have liked to say she was impressed with the turn of events, but she was mostly just too confused to really comment on them.

They arrive like five hours ago.

How did they suddenly have a mine?

Why did they need a mine?

Inare wasn't even aware that there was a mine in the area.

Most of all, why was she referring to this whole clusterfuck chapter of her life as a 'we'?

Sighing out loudly, Inare rested her head in the palm of her hands mumbling, "I need more sleep."

So she flopped back down onto her mat and rolled over, just to have someone shouter her actual name this time and a tone of finality.

"Inare get up, you're needed."

Inare wanted to pout. Seriously wanted to pout and then fall back into bed. But, she supposed if someone really needed her, then it couldn't be that important.

* * *

With monumental effort Inare eventually managed to ready herself and report to her superior, which now that Ebisu was pulled from the field was not a single defined person but a mish-mash of two.

Neither of which were made out for leadership.

Nothing happened very quick now with the medics team and it was beginning to grate on Inare somewhat. The practice was 'Hurry up and Wait' rather than the fluid efficiency practiced under Ebisu.

So she waited around for a whole hour doing menial task to pass the time while, when that got tedious Inare left in search for Toke. Planning to teach him how to be an efficient medic and use her peers as examples of what not to do.

She got him ripping up bandages in preparation and boiling older ones to within an inch of their lives before drying. Then preparing salves and medicines and cleaning their instruments. Their combined efforts within an hour achieved a good amount, Toke the entire time asking everything under the sun while also rattling about a jutsu he'd recently learned. Just as they were finishing up on cleaning their tools, the morning had set in and they no longer had to work tediously under lanterns.

It seemed like no one knew what was supposed to be happening and so continued to find ways to entertain herself. The next menial task was sorting and tidying their medicines stocks while also testing Toke.

"Burns and arthritic joints." Toke responded to the jar of slippery elk that she was holding up. It was pretty encrusted around the edge with from whoever had last used it and so cleaned it up. "Correct."

Next was the stem of a guluchi, Toke actually had to take that one from her, inspect it much more closely and even smell and taste it a little, he got both the name and treatment wrong. "Guluchi is for treating gout and piles, you were thinking of the root of a serpentina to treat insomnia."

At that Toke groaned and rolled onto the his back as Inare retrieved the guluchi and wrapped in back in its cloth bag. They didn't often need gout treatments so she wants sure if it would ever be used unless the Uchiha suddenly became generous and treated some wayward civilians.

"How do you remember this much Miss Inare, its just too much my brain is full."

She laughed at the defeat in his tone, looking over to him with a smile. "I've been doing this longer, that's all it is. Any idiot can do what I do."

"But they don't."

"Well the chakra control is a little more tricky, but learning all this," looking at the large trunk full of bags stuffed with dried leaves, roots, powders, jars of gelatinous balms and the like, "just time and patience."

She could tell none of that was reassuring the boy and he looked even more defeated. "Toke," she spoke with more severity, drawing his attention, "I mean it when I say you will be a great medic one day if that is what you want to be. I will help you get there, but don't worry that you haven't learned everything yet."

"Really?" He didn't quite seem to believe her.

"Don't get all coy with me Toke. You've worked hard, I wouldn't be saying it if you hadn't... I'd probably be throwing that scalpel at you." Toke laughed, a boyish laugh that helped the remaining tiredness and glumness drain from Inare. He was such a good kid, Inare didn't really deserve him as a student.

"Is that what your teacher used to do with you?" Laughing as he asked.

Inare's own laughter died faintly at the question. "Every now and then."

Shinobi rarely tended to miss certain cues, and Toke was no exception. "I don't mean to pry. You just don't talk that much about your training."

Inare offered a tight smile. "Don't think I am withholding because of something terrible. Sometimes its… just hard to talk about something that was so… monumental in your life, that's not there anymore."

Toke nodded fiercely. "I understand."

Inare loved over his boyish face. No one had cut his hair recently so it was falling into his dark but bright eyes and brushing over his freckly nose. He was at that gangly stag of growing up, long limbs and torso just about catching up, but coupled with his kind and genuine smile Inare knew that in a few years he would be breaking a lot of heart.

Yet how could she doubt his understanding? As a shinobi he would have been exposed to every kind of evil emotion that would pull you to the depth of despair. She did believe him, and yet was scared to ask how he understood fearing what tragedy he would reveal to her. He pains felt insignificant in contrast.

When she didn't say anything else, Toke offered an awkward smile. "Inar-"

"You really need another hair cut." She interjected, a very rough transition away from further conversation about her own teacher. Talking about her own teaching to Toke made her suspect what she was teaching his was inadequate. That it would never live up to the expectations of Kirno. How could it? Inare blinked her attention back to Toke and his straggly hair.

He looked surprised, before reaching up to tug at the dark brown tresses dangling in his eyes. "I guess," he offered accompanied with a shrug. "I'll go at it with my knife later."

Inare frowned at the prospect. "A knife?"

"Yeah, just cut it all off."

"Why? Just trim it with scissors." Such a simpler solution.

"Not very good at that. Ends up much more messy."

Inare laughed, not able to image a world where hacking away at hair with a knife was easier than just using scissors. Shaking her head, Inare's giggled died down. "You're a silly kid Toke", ignoring her tiredness she pushed herself up onto her feet, "just wait here a second." And she dashed back into the tent. "Ill cut it." She shouted back to Toke as she began rooting around for scissors.

When she returned Toke was looking sheepish and uncertain. "I can do it myself. Or wait for when Daichis' free."

"No, no. I want to give it a go."

He shifted uncomfortably when Inare plonked down behind him. "Have you done it before?"

"Nope."

He squirmed, "not even to your brothers."

"Don't have any."

He audibly gulped and Inare laughed. "Whatever I do, can't look any worse that what you would look like going at it with a knife."

Toke did not sound convinced as he slowly grumbled "Okay."

With that she tugged on one strand and slowly began to cut.

* * *

"I haven't seen you boys since your father was still alive," was how Haranobu chose to announce his presence. He didn't stop there, walking right into the tent and past the two guards stationed at the front. There was no way either of them would have stopped him if they had a lick of common sense.

"Elder Haranobu. An honour to have you here." Izuna took to lead in formalities. He stood to attention, Madara followed suit, at his own pace.

"At ease boys," Haranobu chuckled, "no need for formalities between us three. Your father was once my student, we are more than just clansmen, were practically family."

Madara bore out that statement silently, Izuna didn't quite manage the same. "You honour us too greatly," Izuna was certainly the better of the two when it came to masking his true sentiments.

"Nonsense, the honour is indeed mine!" He cheered, clapping his hands together as he huffed in what might have been a chuckle. The man was old. Madara had never bothered to check but likely the oldest in the clan. Oldest Uchiha that served in active warzones, so that was saying something. "So, what's this I hear about a mine?" He changed the topic quickly, with another clap of false cheer. Haranobu had an irritating way of being coy about everything, all the while bearing a soft smile that hinted at too many secrets. If Madara knew anything less of the man he would think him kindly and grandfatherly. Too bad Haranobu would likely kill you for just making that assumption and because it would give him pleasure to prove you wrong.

"You heard right," Madara informed Haranobu of nothing, because Haranobu already knew everything he could possibly need or want to know.

"Well, you have no idea how happy that makes me." He glanced down at the map. "You know, nearly thirty years ago I led a party, about half the size of your current one and took this very same mine. Admittedly we suffered a few more losses, but it was a right good ol' battle. You father then lost this very same mine ten years ago. Fukai-ana mine has always been funny one for our clan."

Madara resisted responding. If you were ever going to be complimented by Haranobu, then you had better be prepared to be insulted at the same time. He was incapable of just saying 'congrats' and being done with it.

"While we are aware of the progress our own campaign has made," Madara flinched at Izunas words, silently praying that he didn't say anything to annoy Haranobu, "and are honoured that the clan elders are viewing that success positively. We would prefer for it to not be said at the expense of our fathers legacy."

Hananobu's smile didn't falter for a second.

"I meant to offence, son." Madara watched Izuna's shoulders stiffen and he himself exhaled a long quiet breath. "I wouldn't dream of offending your fathers legacy. He left a very strong one, evident by the two of you. Madara, you are uncharacteristically quiet." Haranobu spoke with smile, a tight lipped smile that never looked or felt genuine to Madara.

"Lot on my mind these days Lord Haranobu." Mostly whether or not Haranobu knew of the effect he had on him and his brother. Neither of them had ever liked the man. For all intensive purposes, he was a snake. Untrustworthy, even more so to him and Izuna.

"Good to hear, a quiet mind is a lazy one," was the pinch of wisdom that the Elder felt he needed to offer. Neither Madara or Izuna felt like it was useful wisdom but said nothing in response. It was just better to not argue with him. "On the success of your mission, my orders to relay to you was that you should proceed with selling the mine to Lord Fukunaro. He's old and… well not in the best of health these days. He doesn't offer the best of prices but he offers a unique opportunity to gain access to the western desert market."

"I'm not sure I'm seeing the entire logic surrounding this decision, Lord Haranobu." Madara dropped, voice toneless while also trying not to be argumentative. "We have never dealt with this Fukunaro, in fact I've never even heard of him forgetting for now that we have not verified the reliability of this man, dealing with him risks upsetting our relationship with the other Daimyos we have historically dealt with."

"I vouch for Fukunaro, Madara." He tried to reassure in a way that was not vaguely reassuring. "I have spoken extensively with the man and investigated his assets and interests, there are plans at play that need not bother your busy minds." Madara felt his jaw begin to ache and relieved the pressure of his bite. He wasn't even going to be so naïve to reasure himself that Haranobu hasn't noticed. "You two no doubt have your mind full of battle strategies and all the worried of generals. You should just leave the responsibility of negotiations to us." Or just you, Madara felt the need to insist in the privacy of his own mind. The 'us' he was referring to was no doubt the Elders council of the Uchiha clan based out in the midlands of their territory.

Highly decorated past clan leaders that survived to an age were they were considered wise and worldly. They were supposed to be the knowledge, guidance of the clan, forever planning and promising for an eventual peace.

Madara's curiosity of the elusive Elders has started from a young age, always confused by the unfairness by them being unelected officials that had so much control over the clan. Madara and Izuna were elected due to their abilities and skills on the battlefield and in leadership. Haranobu and the other elders were relics of the past, and a hindrance to the clans progression to a lasting peace.

"Lord Fukunaro will arrive in five days. While I have been asked by the Elders to lead the sale negotiations, I wish to pass that experience to the two of you. It'll be a good opportunity for the two of you. Try to be as welcoming as you can, we obviously have an absolute minimum we are willing to drop to, but start the negations at arou-"

Madara let his mind drop off at that point as his suspicion and anger took over. Izuna would lead the negotiation, Madara knew he had no skill when it came to it. But the audaciousness of Haranabu, Madara knew him to be patronising but this was an all time high. Making it out as if to be some privilege!

Madara couldn't care less about who lead the sale of the Fukai-ana mine, but that Haranabu had chosen to frame it was interesting. Divert their attention from something else occurring… but what?

Breathing slowly, Madara dissipated the desire to throttle Haranobu and find out now, not that he would achieve anything that way.

"I have no doubt that the two of you are the best for the job. Now, I am only here for a short visit. My company and I have brought you resources and supplies that should help you as you continue into the eastwards territories. I have a few things I must do before I leave tonight, but I would be most happy to dine with you both and your captains before leaving. I have only heard good things and would like to congratulate them personally."

"It would be our honour to dine with you, and I am certain it would be a suitable moral boost to our captains to hear the praise from as an esteemed past general as yourself." Izuna offered a shallow bow and Madara followed suit.

As Izuna offered his niceties, Haranobu glanced down at the map on the table and the positioning of the troops for potential future conflicts. Madara felt his shoulders tense as he watched a small speck of amusement creep on the old mans face. "Good to hear! Now I have been tasked with surveying the encampment. I hope you don't mind my prying."

"Not at all." Madara offered stiffly.

"Then till this evening my boys," with that the man slowly walked out. Gate heavy, something that Madara suspected was a front.

The two of them waited from what seemed like an age before standing close to one another.

"I don't like this," Izuna murmured.

"No one likes it when Haranobu shows up." Reclining against the table Madara glanced over at the map with a nagging feeling that there had been something in Haranobu's look that told Madara his plan could have been better, cleaner, or maybe something he had overlooked…

"Stop that," Izuna shoved into Madara's shoulder with his own.

"Fuck off," Madara hated it when Izuna knew what he was thinking.

"We did good. No casualties, fuck not even a damn injury."

"We'll-"

"One dipshit slipping on mud and hurting his ankle doesn't count." Izuna snapped back and Madara tried not to laugh at the force behind his brothers irritation.

The need to laugh died relatively quickly and Madara glanced down a little more appreciatively at the plan. They had worked at this through the winter, choosing which mine, how they would take the perimeter, deal with the Senju all without a cry of alarm.

And it succeeded.

It would take days for the word to reach the Senju, by which point they would have sold it off to the highest bidder, and be done with it. The Senju at the point would risk too much by reclaiming it from a Daimyo.

"We did good," Madara mumbled in agreement and watched as Izuna enthusiastically nodded. "More than," Izuna reasserted.

At that Madara could only roll his eyes, "lets not get ahead of ourselves. We still have to sell the damn thing to this Fukunaru."

"Fukunaro," Izuna corrected and Madara could have punched the brat he sounded so irritating as he said so. Glancing at his brother he watched the grin form on his face.

"And that's why you will passing that experience to you." Madara mimicked the older man and watched as Izuna's grin drop.

He made to argue, paused, realised that it was probably for the best and then nodded without making too much of a fuss. Both of them knew he was much better off doing this. "I'll reach out to some informants. The most trusted ones. Send Ava out too. We'll only have a few days till he arrives. Learn as much as we can about him," then turning to Madara with less humour in his eyes, "and what Haranobu has been up to." So Izuna shared Madara's suspicions.

"Sound plan." Madara nodded, crossing his arms and dropping his gaze to the map.

Izuna said something about relaying orders and made his way out without any goodbyes or the so. There was no need for it. No doubt they'd be planning again that evening.

Madara pulled out a used sheet of parchment, glancing over the list realised it was worthless and flipped it over to being jotting down his thought.

What's with the mine? Why is it important?

Two first and obvious questions. They had simple and more complex possible answers to them, but Madara didn't write them down instead just let his mind wonder around them. Long-term strategy and planning.

Fukunaro? Who is he? What can he offer? Something of greater value than gold or loyalty? Haranobu has mentioned access to the eastern desert markets. The Desert Market were a rich and colourful, Madara had vivid memories of visiting them as a teen. They were heralded to have a grant value in the ores, minerals, weapons and spices that passed through their stalls. With the exception of the weapons, what value did that offer the Uchiha clan? They weren't traders, Uchiha was a waring clan. Granted it wasn't exactly a lifetime strategy, so was the market access another misdirection.

Clan interest OR Harunobu interest?

Was where the real mystery lay. Without establishing that, there was really too many possibility to consider that it became impossible to investigate. Meeting with Fukunaro might reveal some essential information, if not there were others means by which to acquire the information they needed.

Two hours later found Madara back in his own tent but still puzzling over the list of questions and plausible answers. The list had grown to span the whole sheet and onto the other side. It was a mess, but had helped Madara narrow his focus on the direction he could take.

He couldn't waste the entire day on this and decided that round about now was a good time to stop. Activating his eyes, he glanced over all his notes with a heightened sense of attention, attempting to memorise the entire list to memory with the aid of an ancient technique. It took a great deal of patience, but guaranteed the words would be imprinted onto his mind for the months to come. The technique faded and the only evidence of his suspicions were written, which couldn't be permitted.

Holding the parchment with one hand, Madara ran through the hand signs with just a single hand. A whisper of a breath was all he needed of the fire to kindle out from his and hit the bottom of the parchment.


	18. Chapter 16: Part B

_Chapter 16: Part B_

* * *

When sun greeted him the next morning Izuna was glad that the days were no longer short and dark. Light would penetrate the material of his tent and wake him up early, allowing him to train for a few hours, washed and eat all before his responsibilities caught up with him.

Izuna needed to ensure everything was prepared in the scenario of an attack from the Fukunaro forced or a third party taking advantage of the agree-disarmament for the upcoming meeting.

Madara was doing what he did best and planning the emergency relocation of the camp, drilling their team captains on their orders.

While Izuna would have normally been there alongside his brother and Susumu taking care of the logistics, today Izuna needed to ensure the smooth running of the camp. He was already informed on all the plans as Madara had run through them with him that morning before he was even aware there was a plan. Since Izuna would be in the enemy camp with Fukunaro making the deal, he was not needed for the brief.

Logistics was not Izuna's favourite chore. He doubted anyone enjoyed it. Hell Susumu absolutely abhorred it and was looking for any bargaining chip to avoid it.

It was an necessary annoyance, and while he too hated it Izuna also appreciated the opportunity to reconnect with his clansmen.

A superior officer who knew their soldiers on a personal lever could always inspire that much more courage and loyalty. Something that Madara had never fully learned, much preferring to always keep a polite distance from his soldiers. Their loyalty in him was inspired by his incredible feats in battle and his ability to fight toe to toe with the Senju heir.

Beyond that, Izuna couldn't think of a single soldier that had any real friendship with Madara. Besides from Susumu who could barely be regarded as a friend given his possition. Izuna recalled some level of comradery between Isshin and his brother when they where teenagers, but not since then. The two of them had such polar personalities from each other it was no surprise that they were disinterested in the other.

Izuna checked in in with each team as we made his way through the camp. Ensuring all stations were adequately supplied with food and weapons. The cooks had enough food to keep them all going and diligently showed him their drills for a quick pack up and retreat from the camp.

Next where the armorers. The three of them where some of the brawliest people Izuna knew and he felt reassured that none of them would go down without a vicious fight. It took some convincing to make them swear they would also retreat should it come it that.

After the draining experience of dealing with them Izuna made his way out of the camp stealthily towards all of the outposts. Izuna hadn't really expected much to be out of place and was pleasantly surprised to find it was all as it should be. Regardless, he informed them that they could do better and was glad to see their determination intensify.

Sometime in the late morning Izuna had finally made his way back into the camps and to the one station he knew was going to require the most discipline. The medics tent.

Even under Ebisu has this group been the most stubborn and disorderly.

Sure they knew exactly where everything was and how to access it, but it was never clear to anyone else that would need to help them quickly pack up and evacuate.

The medics tent looked empty, no patients seemed to mean that they could be off wherever they pleased. Made the walk around the perimeter of the tent, senses alert when he smelled relatively recent smoke.

Walking around the entire thing he found at the back the auburn haired medic standing on one of the crates piled on top of each other. She appeared to be reaching up to something on the tent roof.

"Medic. Where is your superior?"

"Oh, hi." She gasped, alarmed at his sudden appearance she jumped around hand . Inare was looking uncharacteristically sheepish. She had never been particularly comfortable around him, which did not bother him at all, but she forced down whatever discomfort and replaced it with a fierce stubbornness with him.

"Where is your superior?" He repeated as she gave him a dumb look. He suspected that he might have caught her doing something she wasn't supposed to be doing.

Izuna could feel the awkwardness just radiating off from her.

"You all getting ready for… that thing." Her head bobbing towards the direction of the guests. Despite himself and the obvious bait, Izuna turned to look at them. Fukunaro's party was occupying a small area directly east of their own camp. To Izuna it was nauseating.

Large banners boasting flags of loud colours and an emblem he had only learned of in the past few days. The camp was significantly smaller than their own but had large tents that were coloured red.

Of all colours in to choose in a green landscape, red. It irritated him beyond words and went against everything he had been taught as a shinobi to blend with his environment.

"Bit of an eyesore." He vaguely heard the medic mutter, her own gaze directed at the camp.

As if Fukunaro's camp wasn't enough of an irritation, now he found himself agreeing with this foreign medic.

"You supervisor," he reminded her for the third time now.

"Ah, yes. That," she was obviously stalling. Slowly she climbed down from the crate. Taking her sweat time. Izuna watched the clogs going around in her head. "Well… I suspect that he might be… in the mine?"

Izuna swallowed his irritation and told himself that getting angry was likely not going to achieve much with her.

"Why would he be there?"

At that she laughed nervously. "Caving?"

Izuna blinked slowly. "Medic, give me a straight answer this instant or I will have you detained for the next three days."

He watched her eyes widen at the threat before narrowing in annoyance. "He's off with some girl from the mine settlement. I was trying to be subtle."

"Unnecessarily so. When I ask where your superior is, you give me a straight answer. No-"

"Beating around the bush? Or cave in his case." She snorted at her own poor joke before she seemed to come to her sense and had the decency to look a least the slightest bit apologetic. "Sorry, wont happen again. Figured he wouldn't want you knowing."

"I imagine so. Away without leave, that's an offence."

Her brow furrowed. "He not doing it… maliciously. Maybe a bit thoughtless, sure. But, he'll be back soon. Anything you need him for, I will be enough."

"Fine," playing to her. "Please demonstrate to me your evacuation procedures for your team."

Her mouth formed a thin line and Izuna was delightfully pleased to see her struggle to take his words in.

"I… erm. Might not be able to help with that."

"You all need to get you're shit together. Ill be back in four hours and if you don't have everything in order you will all be disciplined."

"Wha-" the blank look on her face was all that Izuna was willing to put up with for the day and turned to leave.

He still had to check in with Madara that the plans were in place and contingencies ready, not hang around with this clueless girl.

"Wait!" She cried and Izuna made a conscious effort to walk a little faster. However with no selfrestraint she grabbed hold of his arm and forced him to pay attention to her.

"Alright, hey. Look. Izuna. Lord Izuna. Lord Uchiha?"

"Izuna will do," he sighed out, not wanting to deal with her pathetic attempt to kiss ass.

"We clearly don't like each other, and that's probably not going to change. But would you be willing to just show me what we have to do?" She looked sincere, possibly the most useful expression he had ever seen on her. "Things with the whole team… they haven't been great since Ebisu retired. I don't… I don't want to point fingers at anyone for that being the case, but this is clearly important. And I want us to be ready."

Izuna levelled her with a long look, taking in all her features before. With a sigh Izuna removed his arm from her grip. "I wont be repeating myself," and he made his way back to the medics station intent to properly educate her since she appeared to be the only one willing to learn.

He led her back to the tent, once inside the smell of smoke was at its greatest and he frowned. Who was lighting fires inside the tent? If it was the foreighn medic then he was going to seriously rip into her.

The tent was tidied away, which he hadn't fully expected. Glancing around some more he startled upon a small crate that looked like it was normally used as a table. Now, however, it was completely singed on top. Looking upwards he noticed this was directly below a burnt hole in the tent of the roof.

"Was all this your doing?" Izuna quizzed, glancing up at the singed hole in the tent that Inare must have been attempting to stich a patch of fabric to before anyone could notice.

"Yeah," her mumbled glancing away from him completely.

"What were you trying to achieve?"

Still not looking at him she responded. "A jutsu. It uses a controlled current to restart someone's heart. But its also electricity and on wood… it burnt…"

"It'll burn skin too."

"Quite likely," she mumbled at a barely audible volume.

Glancing back at her then the whole. "My heart ever stop… just let me die."

* * *

"So where have you come from?"

Inare tried not to feel the sting of his words, they where clearly not said with any malice. After spending a significant amount of time with the Uchiha, that question had come to feel a sort of the first round of judgement she received. The hidden question of 'why are you here' was equally discomforting.

Still, Inare took the question at face-value, as she always did and responded politely. "North of the lightning fields."

His eyes widened at the admission before further confusion settled. Inare really wanted him to move onto something else and could already feel the barrage of questions that she had answered many times over the passed year to each new Uchiha who tried talk with her. They all knew where she came from, gossip here was an epidemic, so why the questions?

This man however was not an Uchiha, so her benefit of the doubting continued.

"That is a very long way to home." Inare shrugged. A valid statement that required no reply. "What brings you this far south? How long have you been with the Uchiha clan."

Inare all the sudden remembered by she was never keen on meeting new people and being asked her life story like it was some logically story that she somehow endorsed. "Near about's a year." Was the best response she could offer.

"I take it you married one?"  
Now that was a direction she had not expected. Trying not to look taken aback from the strange question and frustrating assumption he was making. "No," she responded sharply. Then cooling her tone, "I am a medic. I travelled here and found work with the Uchiha." Slight exaggeration of her bizarre scenario, but it was how she liked to think of her employment from time to time.

"I had no idea there where travelling medics."

"We are few." Wasn't a complete lie. Kirno had been foreign to the Lighting fields, so she had travelled from somewhere. Thus to her knowledge traveling medics existed.

"Well it is an exciting surprise to meet someone from Lightning Country. I visited only the borders once. Very… harsh place to live I can imagine."

"But beautiful," Inare felt the need to assert. It was hard, with dry icy winds, thin air but towering mountains and crisp blue skies that reflected off the lakes.

"You must miss it."

Inare so infrequently chose to think of her home that the question stumped her. It went without question that she missed where she was raised, but her upbringing had been hard and loveless for much of it. He country had never given her much else but pain. But Kirno, a foreigner, maybe even refugee, to her lands had offered her some form of escape.

And yet she could only think fondly of the high lakes that were so cold but surrounded by mountains that had never ceased to astound her with their towering heights.

"Yes. The mountains, at least." It was a lame answer, but the best she could offer to this stranger that had suddenly taken an interest in talking with her.

With her old home now the domain of another clan, Inare doubted that she could ever safely return. Not unless some degree of civil order was re-established, and people were free to enter and leave as they pleased. Which she doubted was the case after only a year.

"And yourself," Inare scrambled to remember to be somewhat polite.

He laughed, it was a nice laugh, charming and soothing. He was certainly an attractive man, dressed in robes that spoke volumes of his wealth and influence. Long golden hair that was smooth and brushed. Something that she didn't often see.

"Nowhere as exotic as you," and he began telling her of the village he was raised in. Inare found the conversation only mildly interesting, and happily accepted her fifth refill from a passing servant of the spice wine.

This cup wasn't as warm as her first two. As the wine cooled she was finding that a bitter taste was beginning to overpower the sweetness of the wine. She couldn't quite figure out herb or spice was causing it, but it was unusual. Inare wasn't a fan of it, nor was she one to reject free wine. Stuck in that difficult crevice, Inare had no choice but to drink it faster, while trying not to think too hard about the taste.

Inare nodded politely as the merchant began to, what she suspected, was enchant her with a tale of a sea voyage he had taken. Which might have been enchanting if Inare knew anything about ship and the ocean. As it stood, she didn't, nor was she interested enough to ask him to explain to her what a bow, stern and all the rest of the words he rambled off even meant.

With her fifth mug finished with surprising speed, Inare was finding it harder and harder to keep her attention on the man, her eyes wondered around the camp and festivities trying to find friendly Uchiha face. She hadn't seen one I ages that she was not willing to settle for an unfriendly Uchiha face. Which was much more likely.

Luck might have just been on her side at that moment as she spotted Daichi, who had just taken up a position at the rear of the party, holding a wooden mug similar to hers and leaning back against a carriage.

Inare politely excused herself with an excuse that was less than believable, but she had stopped caring about merchant sea voyage.

Inare made her way quickly over to Daichi, grinning as she reached him. "Evening." Relieved that she could escape polite conversation and converse with someone she knew and liked. Although, the liked part was probably still under scrutiny.

"Inare, Inare." Daichi returned her grin. "Up to any trouble tonight?"

"Never," feigning a look of hurt.

At that he chuckled and shifted over offering a seat. Well, wasn't exactly something you could sit on, mostly just lean against. Which worked for her.

"How's the young'un doing with his training?"

"Ah Toke, he's brilliant."

"Really?" He sounded surprised, which grated on her.

"Yes," Inare asserted. "He's got so much passion and energy, it's sort of… revitalising to be around that. But also nerve racking."

"Great on him. It's all he talks about. 'Today Miss Inare taught me how to stitch, and tomorrow how to castrate a man'."

She laughed at his poor impression of the fifteen year old. "You obviously haven't been paying attention."

"Oh, course I do." Daichi reassured her in a way that was not the slightest bit playful. "Glad that he's found something he enjoys. Shinobi business was never for him. He's…" a look or frustration over came him at the admission, "soft."

Inare frowned, feeling her shoulders stiffen in defence over Toke. "Why is that bad?"

Daichi sighed out. "Get to my age Inare, and you would have seen a whole little army of kids come and die." Inare flinched at the blasé attitude, it felt horrible but rang sickly true. "You quickly pick on the characters of those that live. Toke's soft."

"So you mean weak."

"Weak?" Daichi scoffed. "Toke, nah. Never weak. Soft and weak are two different things here." He didn't quite chuckle, but it was a dark laughter that unsettled Inare. "You are weak, but very far from being soft. In fact, you're a bit of a hard bitch at times. Probably why you have endured so long. Toke's good. Fast on his feet, good with a blade. Not weak in the slightest. In practice, he tends to be able to best Jian on most days. And that brats got three more years on Toke."

Inare felt a swell of pride at hearing that. Toke was strong, she knew that. She'd seen him spar.

"But put both of them in a to-the-death battle, like war, and Jian has a much greater chance of surviving."

"That doesn't make any sense." Inare dismissed, she couldn't imagine killing. How did that make her hard? "Toke's strong, so he can do what is necessary to keep himself alive."

"I'm not saying he's afraid to kill or hurt, he has definitely done both. Excelled, like all of us, at both. He, however, lets it weigh on his mind. Each battle burdens him, and one day I fear it will be too heavy for him carry."

"Shut the fuck up Daichi," Inare resorted to snapping. She hated how pathetic and naïve it would come across to Daichi but she did not want to hear that. She wanted to knock wood, but hated superstition.

The older man pissed her off most of the time, but there was a fondness for him that she couldn't not dismiss. She valued his judgement and advice. Appreciated his friendship, so his words hit hard. "You're missing what I'm saying here Inare," Daichi wasn't scolding her. No there was understanding there that struck right through her. "Get him out. Keep him grounded in the base where he'll help people, not out here. Not with us."

Inare could and tried to process all the emotions that welled up in her. Breathing felt a little hard all the sudden and her head heavy. "I will," was all she could manage in the end.

This seemed enough for Daichi as he smacked her on the shoulder and ruffled her head. Worst thing he could of done, that heaviness just intensified leaving her blinking and breathing a little deeper.

"Good. Now, you're grumpy tonight. Snappy too. What's grating you?"

"Nothing." Making to take a swig of the mug she quickly realised was empty, hiding an obvious lie.

Daichi tilted his head, "You're not drinking are you?"

"There's wine. Why wouldn't I have some?" Inare snapped with a shrug, not caring that even the most reliable of her drinking friends wasn't joining her. She took a step back and just about caught herself on the uneven wet ground.

Daichi reached for her none the less and help steady her. "Inare. We have foreign visitors just outside our camp, stop and drink water like there rest of us."

"None of you are drinking?" She mumbled.

"No!" He wouldn't have shouted louder if not for the fact that he was trying to be discreet.

"But everyone…" looking around to check she hadn't imagined it, and sure enough all the Uchiha's had them, "mugs."

"Yeah, and then emptying it onto the ground. Its muddy already, so easy to hide."

"Oh fuck." Inare hissed, clamming her eyes shut.

"How much did you drink?"

"Just a little… four mugs maybe…" she looked down at the empty wooden mug in her hand, "five now"

Daichin took that in with some amusements and leaned back to cross his arms when something caught his attention. Slowly his attention fixed on her and he approached her.

"What is it?" Inare pressed, naturally leaning back from the sudden closeness, but Daichi grabbed hold of her shoulders and kept her in place. "Daichi," panic brewing at the centre of her chest but she still managed to hold a dark tone, "what is it Daichi?"

He leaned in closer an all the sudden she watched as he activated his sharinga. She wanted to yelp, scuffle away, because no matter how much she saw it, it freaked the hell out of her. He did nothing but watch her face and her discomfort grow till she was near whining out. "Dai-"

"Shhhh," he quietly sounded to her. Hands on her shoulder loosening, before he eased the two of them around the edge of the cart they had been leaning against.

"Inare, be quiet and listen carefully."

He eyes darted back towards the party where nothing appeared to have been disturbed, gossip and enjoyment continued.

"You're pupils are really small and your face is pretty pink."

Inare giggled, all fear and worry vanishing and a gentle elation washed over her. "Wow Daichi, you mean exactly what alcohol does?"

"And I've seen you down half a bottle of sprits and be fairly composed. Spiced wine has barely any alcohol to it, even less once its been boiled. Have you drank anything else?"

"No." Inare whined, adding. "I ate a lot of rice."

"There might be something else in it." He took her mug from her and smelled, an intense look on his face but nothing came to him. Tossing the mug to the floor, Daichi wrapped an arm around her shoulder moving her around to face the direction of the Uchiha camp.

"Just don't make it look like there's anything wrong," Daichi gritted out through clenched teeth as he moved the hand at the base of her back and began walking them away from the party.

They didn't get far before Inare dug her heels in, "You have to go back and warn everyone."

"I will. Just as soon as I get you back to the camp and to Toke. No one is drinking anything here so they're going to be fine. Toke will look after you, just like you taught-"

"No." Inare insisted, refusing to let Daichi move her any further.

Daichi groaned, "Inare, don't argue with me on this."

"I'll go back alone."

"Not happening, and nothing you can say would persuade me otherwise."

Inare could see reason in that, but still did not regard it as the endpoint of negotions.

"Daichi, if there is a drug, or poison" her voice nearly broke but her breathing remained calm despite the panic, "in the drink, I need to get it out quickly before something really bad happens. Salt and water."

Daichi paused. "Where would I find salt in a fucking enemy camp?" Daichi seethed

"The cook!" Inare hissed in return, feeling it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Where they brought the pig out from."

Inare watched at Daichi faintly glanced over towards the centre where the boar was still being carved up to feed Lord Fukunaros soldiers, servants and advisors.

The Uchiha seemed to be weighing up his options, glancing to and from the Uchiha camp and the tent the boar had come out from. "How do you feel right now? Any effects?"

"Nothing," Inare swallowed, "breathing pace has increased, but that could be panic."

His hold on her shoulder tightened as he looked to debate with himself before he ultimately looked down to her, taking in her appearance. "Take it you're hoping to puke it all out?"

Inare nodded grimly.

He released a controlled and steady breath. "Fuck, alright were doing this. Stay with me at all times."

Looping a hands around her waist, he helped take the majority of her weight until Inare managed to shove him off. "I can walk."

In the end she had to settle for him holding her elbow. They went around the camp, in a long loop avoiding all of the camps soldiers in perfectly ninja-like fashion, at least how Inare understood ninja-like. They wound their way back through the camp, Daichi leading her the entire way, before they arrived at the tent the giant hog had come from.

Inside wasn't much, a large wooden table that smelled of spices and was likely where it was prepared. Scattered on the table top where jars and Daichi and Inare quickly began opening them. He was the one to eventually find the right one and shoved it into her hands. Looking around Inare then began searching for water. The barrel in the corner was where she first looked, opening it up revealed rice then the one next to it was water. It tasted a bit stale, but it would have to do. Inare drank a mouth full first. Emptied salt into a nearby bowl and filled it with water.

Next to her Diachi looked down grimly.

"You ready?"

Inare held in a sob. She didn't want to do this, but weather it was alcohol or some drug, Inare could already begin to feel unnervingly relaxed and euphoric. Without thinking further she took three glugs of the salty water, very quickly she could feel the repulsion rise and she heaved over and emptied everything out. A short respire was then followed by more heaving and vomiting until there was nothing left and she felt drained. Daichi had taken hold of her hair, standing by her side and gently rubbing her back through the entire ordeal.

She could never understand that side of him. For all he showed the world, behaving like a boisterous adolescence, Daichi had a compassion and understanding that Inare was unfamiliar with.

It made her sobbing a little heavier knowing there was someone rubbing her back and she quickly realised that while the drug may be out of her body, her mind was beginning to feel less like her own.

When the waves of tension had passed from her body, Inare tilted her head back and took a heavy breath. Fear at whatever was now coursing through her blood seemed to be non-existent, her heavy head felt lulled by the gentle rubbing of her back.

"Thank you Daichi."

"You okay?" That concern was touching, but Inare's head was beginning to sink into a blissfulness that was consuming her conscious faster than she could comprehend.

"Better now." She managed, trying to get back to her feet. "We need to tell Madara."

Still looking at her feet, Inare missed the firm shake that Daichi gave "Cant do that without it looking suspicious and alerting the Daimyo."

"Then I'll go."

"What?"

"I'm unarmed, tipsy-" "Drugged," Daichi disagreed.

"Just a little," Inare gritted out, "I can just go chat with him and whisper it into his ear. No one will ever know. I'll be subtle." Inare took one step and Daichi had to catch her when her foot landed in a small depression in the ground.

"Not happening Inare, you have all the subtlety of a thunderstorm."

"Happening Daichi," smacking his had off her, saddened by the loss of his familiar support. However, determined, she began to make her way in what she was convinced was a straight line out of the table and turn towards the festivities where she saw Madara, Izuna and that really large Daimyo sitting. The Daimyo was taking a slow sip of his food while Madara and Izuna's plates looked barely touched.

Daichi had caught up with her and grabbed her wrists again. "Inare stop it, you're going to make things worse."

"If you keep grabbing me somethings definitely going to look suspicious," Inare turned to him and reached up with one hand to cup his cheek. "Trust me Daichi, I'll be quick."

He was visibly taken back by the contact, his hands dropped from her wrists. Daichi took a deep resigned breath, "very quick."

Inare nodded and with absolute intensity continued making her way to the table. She couldn't just storm right up, so she circled it, weaving herself through the crowd. Music had begun playing at some point, but the Uchiha's were such grumps that none of them even swayed a little. She even recognised the song, which was new for her!

These southerners really didn't know good music. You couldn't dance to it. Nothing like the music from her homeland. The festivals that has popped up in small hamlets.

Blinking heavy eyes, Inare reminded herself to focus on the task ahead.

Get Madara away from the Daimyo and his guards. Tell him that he really needed to brush his hair, or that someone had potentially poisoned the wine. Maybe even the other food. Inare had also eaten the pork. How was she supposed to know she not to, its not like a memo went-

"Focus Inare." She muttered to herself. She was about to arrive at the table and her head was doing all interesting things this evening. The familiarity of this sensation that wasn't too dissimilar to being heavily intoxicated. Except she had complete control of her mind, she just felt different.

Maybe she was drunk and just confused.

No, four mug of a mulled wine was never enough to get her drunk. She wished it was but damn had her alcohol tolerance spiked in the last year had been with the Uchiha. Yes it was almost a year.

Focus Inare, her brain chimed in cheerfully.

Very helpful.

She had reached the table and look down at Madara with a wide smile that softened into something a little more… well Inare didn't mean to brag, but she felt that it was very seductive.

With what she thought was nimbleness, but was probably horribly clumsy she slid into the seat next to Madara and leaned in secretively. "I need to talk to you." Her voice slurring a lot more that she would like to admit.

* * *

If ever there was a time for an attack to happen, Madara would have liked for it to be now.

There where few things Madara was willing to do, well maybe a fair few. But small talk was certainly up there along with being forced to be police.

Lord Fukunaro was a dullard.

A sweat stinking dullard. And Madara didn't mind sweat. He was was either covered in it himself or her was surrounded my people equally drenched in sweat. But there was always a sharp distinctive smell of the sweat from someone who worked for it, and someone who was eating their life away.

His foot tapped in impatience. How much longer would he be forced to stay here. Izuna was managing well on his own. While at no point could Madara rule out the possibility that Fukunaro's forced might become hostile, he was seriously doubting it at this point.

Madara's gaze drifted to the music, a new upbeat song had begun that was likely intended for dancing and celebration. Poor choice, none of his shinobi would move from their positions or drop their vigilance.

Fukunaro's mistress, wife, Madara couldn't recall looked to be swaying to the music slightly while she took another bite of her food. She was an attractive plump woman. Younger by at least ten years to Fukunaro. Madara did have to wonder what exactly it was that drew the two together, he could see a clear affection in her eyes that had both surprised him and left him wondering down a road he had no business looking at.

Sighing out quietly, Madara let his mind drift back into the conversation. Izuna had asked after the rest of Fukunaros territories. While he never phrased it, Izuna was also inquiring after the Senju clan. Prodding and inquiring with all the right questions that Fukunaro ended up answering all the questions Izuna never even asked.

Not for the first time today did Madara feel a small swell of price towards his little brother. He could never be that efficient with people, Madara was not above acknowledging what he could learn from his brother. And it was a lot.

"I need to talk to you." A voice echoed in his ear.

His arms went taunt. While must people would have jumped in alarm, Madara moved as if he was ready to kill.

As his brain caught up with his body, Madara could have snarled at the stupid girl. What on earth was she thinking?

His eyes, sharingan activated darted to her.

"Inare," Madara hissed, a hand coming up to grip her forearm. "What do you think your doing?"

He had receded so deep into his own thoughts that he hadn't noticed Inare slip into the vacant seat behind him until her mouth and breath was right up against his ear. It would have made him jump if not for the soothing familiarity of her chakra signature. He put that down as the reason he had unconsciously permitted her to get so close without his complete awareness.

The moment she had spoken, the moist heat of her breath, the slur, the complete disregard for the fact that they were sitting at a table with people that would not tolerate her occasional frivolous silliness, he knew that she was certainly drunk.

The part of him that didn't give two shits about impressing this Daimyo didn't care at all about what they thought of the two of them. Which was what kept him from outright pulling her away from the table and ordering her back to the camp site. Why was she here in the first place? Yes she could be silly, but he had not put her down as being this bad. Usually it was the group mentality that encouraged her to misbehave. Right now she was alone.

"Madara," she huffed, her face pink and her eyes glazing over. A lazy smile grew on her face and she leaned in ever more. "I need to tell you something," her eye lids dropped and her voice went quieter, which probably didn't achieve the goal she had hopped because the table had gone quiet to watch this interaction, "in private."

Besides him he could feel Izuna buzzing with barely restrained rage.

He knew that he should be feeling the same but… well, the Daimyo was boring and he didn't care about his opinion, but also knew that this deal needed to happen.

Without hesitation he stood and pulled Inare with him.

"Excuse me while I-", he hadn't thought this far into his sentence, 'reprimand' would suggest way too much, so would 'punish' for that matter, "deal," it seemed the most subtle of all words and least indecent, "with this insubordination."

Inare giggled, and Izuna's rage hit his face flushing his cheeks in probably both embarrassment and anger.

"My apologies Lord Fukunaro."

The Daimyo clearly was less strung up about this whole meeting that Izuna was and laughed heartily. "No offence. Very entertaining the young lady."

"She's a medic." Madara for some reason felt the need to clarify, because she certainly wasn't giving anyone the impression she had a socially respectable profession.

The Daimyo just nodded and went back to taking a deep glug of the warmed spiced wine. He spluttered as he drank, coughing into his goblet but continuing to drink.

Madara wasted no time and began pulling Inare away from the scene, very away that a lot of the Uchiha's and Daimyos people were watching them now.

"How fucking stupid do you have to be to get drunk in an enemy camp and then throw yourself over me," he began seething only a few paces away.

At that point Inare's slumping posture changes and she suddenly has a little more control over her body than he thought. Suddenly she seems a little less drunk but only marginally more in control that he first gave me credit for.

"Relax," she drew out, her tone still slurred but not a drunk kind. "You're so wound up these days, and it was a little funny to watch your brother get angry… but he couldn't say anything." She giggled out the last part and he went back to thinking she was absolutely pissed.

"Go back to the camp Inare willingly or I will have someone drag you back."

"Hold your horses, I needed to tell you something."  
"So you said," he near spat out. When was she going to learn that there were some things she just couldn't do?

"The spiced wine, might be poisoned… well, I'm not really thinking poison now…"

Madara couldn't respond straight away, sudden thoughts and plans that he quickly formed in his head for a retaliation began to develop in response to this new information merging with all the contingency plan he had already thought up in the hours leading up to this meeting. "How certain are you?"

"Not really certain, just me. But I did drink quite a bit, so it could be a bit of both."

"You interrupt and possibly jeopardise this trade to give me superficial evidence of poisoned alcohol?"

Inare stopped there, her face having a pleased but also pondering look. "Well, poison wouldn't be the term I would use."

"You just did," he growled.

"Ah yes, this is true…." she looked perplexed by the realisation only momentarily, "well… I think it's a drug." And she giggled again, "Like, a really good one." Again drawing out her words.

"Wonderful, you are both drunk and now becoming a drugged up mess. Inare, you really have no common sense sometimes." Madara gritted out harshly, his grip on her dropping as he processed the information. "How much did you drink, be honest."

"Five mugs!" She chirped out happily with not even be hint of regret, the snicker following her own statement on served to reinforce her lack of concern.

Spiced wine wasn't really favoured for complete intoxicating. Enjoyable as it was, you needed to get through quite a bit before anything began happening. He knew she could hold herself well after at least a bottle. "I would be risking a lot to accuse them of foul play."

"Then don't accuse them," Inare smacked his shoulder, her sentence slow and drawn out. "Go back, enjoy a glass, I really don't think its poison."

"It's poison, its not poison. Would you make your-" Madara was not allowed to finish before a loud crash sounded from behind him. Spinning quickly, Madara put Inare directly behind him as he focused his attention on the source of the sound to see the Daimyo collapsed on the ground, hand over his chest as he wheezed and struggled for breath.

From his side, he felt Inare glance around his body while using it to keep her upright. "Ah, poison it is."


End file.
